There's a new Alpha in town, partner!
by Serahhaggerty
Summary: After an accidental bite from Ruby, Emma is going through some big changes. Will everything work out, or will the town have a big bad wolf to worry about? Rated M for Sexy times, and some language, further into the story.
1. Chapter 1

Despite it being the full moon, Ruby was at the Rabbit Hole, having had a few too many after a fight with Belle. She was wearing her cloak, but that apparently didn't matter. Emma was almost out of the bar when some random jerk decided to make a comment about Belle having a taste for the dark side, and needing a real man.

Ruby lunged for him, but Emma was faster and pulled her back, with an arm around her neck. Without thought, Ruby turned her head and sunk her teeth into Emma's arm, through her red leather jacket. Neither realized that the bite had broken through the jacket, not until later that night.

* * *

><p>Once at the station, with Ruby securely sleeping it off in Leroy's favourite cell, Emma noticed the burning in her arm. Taking her jacket off, she saw the small amount of dried blood, and the teeth shaped bite on her arm. "Shit."<p>

Cleaning the wound up with the first aid kit that was in the station, Emma went about starting her report for the incident. _'One less thing to do tomorrow. Wouldn't Regina be shocked._' Since she was amped up from wrestling a werewolf, during wolf's time no less, into the back of the cruiser, and she had some time to kill before she could relax, Emma tried to focus on the last of the paperwork from that week.

The burning only got worse through the night, and by 4am Emma was covered in a sheen of sweat, and panting. She couldn't think properly, her thoughts coming out less as thoughts, and more as impulses. Gripping the edge of the desk tightly, she took deep breaths, focussing on remaining coherent.

Around 5am, she noticed that her thoughts started to come easier, the impulses less on the forefront of her mind, and the fever seemed to have lowered. Continuing to take deep breaths, Emma tried to reason why she was suddenly sick, when she had been fine the night before. Before she got the call to the bar, before Ruby bit her…

Lunging for the phone, Emma dialled the only number she could think of to help right now, who could confirm or deny her suspicion. After 2 rings, a gruff voice answered "Granny's Bed and Breakfast. How can I help you?"

"It's Emma. I have Ruby here at the station. She had a few too many last night at the Rabbit Hole." Emma stated as calmly as she could, although her voice cracked on Ruby's name. "She-"

"Is she alright?" Granny interrupted, knowing how quickly things can go badly during wolf's time, especially if alcohol is involved. "Did anyone get hurt?"

"She's fine. Just sleeping it off in a cell. And no one got hurt, not really." Emma said. "Well, almost no one. She may have, kind of, possibly, bit my arm?"

"No." Came the whispered reply. "I will be there in 10 minutes. Don't talk to anyone until I get there."

10 minutes later, Eugenia Lucas was knocking on the front door of the station. Letting her in, and locking the door behind them, Emma made to lead her to the cells, but was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"It shouldn't be possible, but I can smell the curse on you already. I'm sorry." Granny said with sad eyes. "It won't happen this moon, but by next, you will change."

"So, I am 'infected' or 'cursed' or whatever?" Emma replied calmly, too calmly for Granny's taste. "I am going to be a werewolf now too?"

"Yes." Was the simple reply. "Although I shouldn't be able to smell you like this if it happened only a few hours ago. You shouldn't show any signs of it for days."

Emma didn't reply, simply walked into the main office, expecting Granny would follow. She led them into the main part of the station, before gesturing Granny forward. Red was awake in her cell, and had heard everything that had been said.

"I bit you?!" Ruby whimpered from her cell. "God Emma, I am so sorry. I don't know what happened. I never lose control enough to do that when I have my cloak. I'm so, so sorry." Ruby broke down into tears, repeating that she was sorry like a mantra.

Emma knew that she should be more upset, that she should be scared or what was going to happen to her, but instead she merely cocked her head, and then began laughing. It was a deep belly laugh, full of mirth, at having found herself in another life altering situation yet again. Both women stared at her, too stunned to speak, as the blonde continued in her laughing fit.

Finally getting her laughter under control, Emma attempted to explain to the two very confused women. "If it's not one thing, it another here. There is always something in my life that is going wrong, or changing, or completely flipping my life around. I will be fine, I always am. It will take some adjustment, no doubt, but it's not like I'm dead. I will just have get a cloak, or something that helps me like yours, and learn to control the change. And on the bright side, at least now I can track people in the woods too, not just the city!" Emma quickly spouted before bursting into another fit of laughter.

"Are you serious?! You are laughing about becoming a monster who can kill people?!" Red shouted, gripping the bar of the cell and bending them slightly in her anger, without realizing. "You could hurt people! What about your parents? Friends? Henry?!"

At the mention of her son's name, Emma immediately became deathly still. Anger glinted in her eyes as she slowly stalked over to the cell in front of Ruby. Granny watched, shocked at both Emma's movements, but also at the power she seemed to be giving off. _'That's definitely new.'_

"You think I don't realize how dangerous this will be? How fast I will have to work to make sure my family stays safe?" Emma's normally smooth voice came out a rough growl from deep in her chest. "You will not speak of them as if I don't care. They are my family. They are **All** I care about, and I will do whatever I have to to make sure they are safe from everything, not just me. Do you understand?" Her voice dipped even lower at the end.

Ruby released her grip on the cell's bar, and took an involuntary step back. She couldn't help but notice the yellow glow in Emma's eye's, or the way she had her teeth bared at her. Ruby looked down and away, not able to hold Emma's gaze.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Emma stepped flush against the bars in a single step, even though it should have taken her two, shouting directly at Ruby, causing her to flinch.

"Yes. I'm sorry for saying it like that." Ruby maintained her position, eyes on the floor.

Granny watched, awed at the display of dominance that Emma had just put on. She knew what it could mean, but how it was happening so quickly was beyond her.

Ruby was an Alpha by blood, and by right. She had challenged her own mother, and won. For her to submit to Emma, who hadn't even completed a full change yet, meant that Ruby, Emma and this entire town were in for a very interesting adjustment in the near future. Especially Emma, if what she guessed was happening was correct.

Ruby had never lived with a pack. She didn't know the old legends and stories as well as those who grew up with their own kind would. She was just a pup herself before the curse happened. But Granny remembered the tales, and she was sure there would be others who would as well.

Shaking her head, seemingly to dispel her anger, Emma took a deep breath and opened the cell. "I think you are good enough to go home. Talk to Belle, work out whatever the issue is. Don't go drinking again, not during Wolf's Time. Ok? I don't like having to drag those I care about around like that."

"Thanks. For getting me out of there before anything really bad happened, I mean. I'm sorry that I did this to you, but I'm not going to say I'm sorry that I'm not alone anymore. I promise to help you in every way I can." Ruby stood beside Emma, still eyeing the floor. Stepping to the side, into Emma, Ruby briefly nuzzled her chin then stepped away, with a blush tinting her cheeks.

'_Why did I do that?'_ Ruby wondered to herself. She wanted the blonde to know she was sorry, and to forgive her, but that was odd, even for her. _'I've only ever seen that done with other wolves. Is this because of her bite already?"_

Emma allowed the apology Ruby gave, understanding it immediately for what it was. _'Why do I know that is her way of apologizing?'_ Lifting Ruby's chin, Emma forced her to make eye contact. "It's ok. I know you didn't mean for this to happen. But really, I am ok, or at least I will be. I don't feel like a monster. I just feel… strong I guess. And I have you to help me through as well." Fixing a serious look into Ruby's eyes, Emma told her with certainty, "We will get through this together. No worries. But it's going to cost you." Breaking out her crooked smile that could make anyone melt, Emma pulled Ruby in for a hug. "Breakfast tomorrow and free cocoa for a week should just about do it. Subject to change to a full week's breakfast if it gets really bad." Emma finished pulling back with a wink. _'It feels so right to just be this close. I can't think like that. She has her True Love, Belle.'_

Ruby returned her smile, not moving out of Emma's arms. It was shocking how right it felt for her to be wrapped up in Emma's arms. _'I shouldn't be thinking about Emma like this. I have Belle.'_

Emma interrupted her thoughts with a firm voice that was still surprisingly gentle. "Go see your girl. Get some rest, and call me later, and we can go over everything I need to know then. Werewolf 101, 'cause I have a feeling I'm going to need it." Still smiling Emma pulled away from Ruby completely, gently pushing her towards her grandmother who was waiting silently, watching the pair closely.

With a small smile, Ruby moved to join Granny by the entrance of the station. Nodding to the Sherriff, Granny walked out behind Ruby, closing the door behind them. _'I need to find my books as soon as possible.'_

Granny had watched the entire interaction in silence. She may no longer change, but she understood the behaviour she was seeing. They were going to all need to have a long talk very soon, as they wouldn't likely understand it themselves. This could be very good, or very bad. Either way, big changes were coming.


	2. Chapter 2

Cracking an eye open, Emma felt pain explode through her head. _'I feel like I drank a frat house under the table, before jumping off a cliff.'_ Her body ached, her vision swam, and her head felt like the entire percussion section of the high school's band was practicing in it.

With a groan, Emma rolled onto her back, realizing that she had fallen asleep on the couch in her apartment full clothed, shoes and all. She remembered walking through the front door, and the pain and fever hitting her again all at once. _'At least I made it to the couch.'_

Luckily she had called David and asked him to get one of the part-time deputies to cover her shifts for that night, vaguely telling him that she was coming down with something. He didn't questions it, just said he would take care of things, and see her when she felt better.

Grabbing her cell phone, Emma saw that it was just after school hours, and she was due to meet Henry at Granny's for their usual cup of cocoa. Stopping in the bathroom to run a brush through her hair, and quickly brush her teeth, Emma rushed from the apartment, and headed to meet with her son.

* * *

><p>Henry was already waiting for her, having ordered a cocoa for both of them, as he usually did when she was late, which was almost always. Emma was having trouble concentrating on Henry though, as everything seemed heightened to her today. She could smell the sweaty guys at the counter, and the cheap beer they were drinking. She could hear the utensils scraping on the dishes as people ate their meals. It was overwhelmingly distracting, not to mention painful. <em>'How does Ruby handle this every day?!'<em>

When Henry was finished his cocoa, and had hugged Emma goodbye to head home to finish his homework, Emma moved over to the counter to catch either Ruby or Granny to talk about when they could begin her "Werewolf 101" lessons.

While she was waiting, Belle joined her at the bar, and they struck up a stilted conversation. Neither wanted to broach the subject of Ruby's behaviour the previous evening, and Emma wasn't sure if Belle had been informed yet of what had happened. Deciding to be brave Emma took a deep breath before broaching the subject. "So is Ruby still in the dog house for whatever you guys were fighting over last night?' Emma started, trying to make light of the situation.

"No, although that is something we are all going to be talking about tonight." Belle replied with a tentative smile. "I feel like I owe you an explanation, if not an apology for my part in this. We were fighting about my wanting Ruby to bite me. We have fought over this several times, but last night was the worst yet. I'm sorry that this happened because of our spat." Belle was looking at her hands as she finished, a look of thorough shame on her features.

Gently taking one of her hands, Emma gave a soft squeeze. "It was an accident. I'm not upset, although this headache is a killer. But thank you for telling me what happened. It means a lot to me that you trust me so much." Pausing, Emma was grateful to see the smile that replaced the frown Belle had previously worn. "Can I ask a question? Why do you want Ruby to bite you? I meant I know why she wouldn't; she kind of freaked out about it last night, but what difference does it make if you are a wolf too?"

"Werewolves live much longer than humans, almost 4 times as long. Ruby and I have true love, but she doesn't want to "curse" me to being a monster. I don't want to grow old and leave my true love behind. I want to be with her as long as I can. I also know that wolves are very much pack animals, and being alone hurts Ruby, but she would never say. She needs other wolves to run with, and I want to be there for her, to run with her, and fill that hole in her heart as well."

"Ok… I can understand that, especially with the aging thing. She's lucky to have someone who loves her so much." Sharing a smile, Emma continued to try to ignore the sounds and smells of the diner as Ruby rushed around to serve everyone. Emma, realizing that Belle was usually at the library at this time of day tilted her head to the side, before asking. "Aren't you usually at the library right now?"

"Well, I still want this, and since you are going to be part of her pack now, I don't see why I can't join for your Werewolf 101 lessons, as Ruby called them." Bell finished simply, as if being bitten and turning was no worse joining an after school club.

"But you seem to know a lot about werewolves already." Emma couldn't hide the confusion at Belle wanting to sit through what she knew would be a lot of information she already knew.

"I'm hoping that being there to support you, and helping you through this as well, Ruby will realize that it's not the most terrible thing in the world to be bitten."

As Belle flipped her hair over her shoulder, turning to look for Ruby, Emma was blasted with a strong combination of scents. One was Ruby, she knew that from last night. The other was like honey suckle, ink, and sandalwood, with a hint of something just Belle.

Without thinking, Emma took a deeper breath in, tasting the scents on her tongue. 'She_ has marked her as hers. They smell good together. She will make a good mate.' _Emma though while still tasting the air around them. _'Yes. She will join the pack soon.'_

Shaking her head as if to clear the thoughts from her brain, Emma noticed that Belle was looking at her with concerned eyes. "Are you alright? You were just staring at me for a minute there, and" dropping to a hushed whisper so they would not be overheard "your eyes flashed yellow for a second."

"Yeah, sorry. Just a random thought that I got lost in. We will have to ask Ruby and Granny about it later. I'm sure they have an explanation." Emma shrugged, giving Belle a crooked smile. _'That was so weird.'_ Realizing that Belle was still looking at her curiously, Emma leaned in closer to speak quietly. "You smell really good today, by the way."

Leaning in closer, Belle took a quick sniff of Emma, her eyes fluttering slightly. "Wow. Whatever you are wearing today smells really good too. New body spray?" Belle did not move back, although she did straighten up. "It reminds me of Ruby's scent, but much… more... just more. I like it." A blush crept onto Belle's cheeks as she met Emma's eyes.

"I'm not actually wearing anything. I didn't even shower when I woke up." Emma laughed, flashing a wide grin, not shying away from Belle's closeness. "Here enjoy this for me while go freshen up in the little puppy's room for a minute." Emma stood directly in front of Belle, her face level with Emma's stomach, as she took her jacket off and draped it around Belle's shoulders. Heading off to the washroom, Emma chuckled as she saw Belle trying to discretely sniff more at the jacket.

* * *

><p>When she returned to the counter though, she saw her seat had been taken by a large, heavily sweating man with a greasy beard. He looked to easily be above 6'6" and must have weighed around 300lbs. He looked like a creepy, dirty version of Santa. Emma saw that he was leaning close to Belle, who was leaning away heavily, looking around with timid eyes. Ruby was taking an order at the front of the diner, her back facing the scene, and Granny was busy in the kitchen. It seemed that he may have had a few too many at happy hour, and Emma was less than pleased at his body language.<p>

Emma scented the air without thought as she moved closer. She could detect two new scents in the air, fear and arousal. The fear she could tell belonged to Belle, as it carried her scent with it. The arousal was pouring off of the man attempting to move closer still to Belle. _'He is making her fear him and it is arousing him. She is ours, not his.'_ Emma thought again in new way she was coming to suspect was her inner wolf developing.

As the man lifted his hand and placed it on Belle's thigh, several things happened at once: Emma let out a small growl that caught Ruby's attention, Belle gasped in shock at the man who was gripping her leg tightly without invitation, Emma's eyes flashed yellow again, Granny looked out the service window seeing the situation, and Emma lunged for the man. Emma reached the man first, as Ruby began to weave through the crown, knowing what was likely about to happen.

Wrenching his arm behind his back, and half lifting him onto the counter, Emma let out a deep snarl. "You do not get to touch her without her permission. She is not yours." Twisting the man's wrist to a more painful angle, Emma continued. "Do you understand?"

The man did not try to fight Emma initially, until he realized that it was a female restraining him. Attempting to push up from the bar top, he felt himself be forced roughly back down, and heard the questions repeated, with another twist to his wrist. "I said, **do you understand**?!"

Feeling that his wrist was about to break, the man began to nod frantically yes. "Good. Now apologize." Emma easily pulled the man into a standing position, despite the obvious size and weight difference. She directed him around to face Belle, keeping a tight lock on his wrist and a bruising grip on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." The man quietly grumbled, still in shock at being handled so easily by a woman, and thoroughly embarrassed. "I didn't hear that!" Came the quick reply, with a painful twist of his wrist. He felt a snap, and cried out from the pain rushing up his arm. He was sure something had been broken on that one.

"I'M SORRY!" he cried out, tears falling freely down his face, both from the embarrassment, and from the pain. "I'M SORRY."

"Good. Do not touch what isn't your again, or I won't be so gentle next time." Emma snarled again at the man, turning and pushing him towards the front door. He stumbled, but quickly caught himself, and looked back over his shoulder to see who had been tossing him around so easily. He caught sight of Emma, teeth bared in a feral grin, and rushed out through the door. Ruby stepped out of his way as he shot through the door, the bell jingling loudly.

Granny pulled Belle into the back hallway, and told her to go wait in the B&B common room, and she would send the girls back shortly to see her. She seemed to be in shock at what had just transpired, and followed the elder Lucas' directions. Ruby was already clearing out the guests, stating that they were closing early for the night, and that their meals and drink were on the house. A few grumbled, having not yet received their food, but left none the less after seeing Emma still standing in the middle of the diner breathing heavily and shaking slightly. Not wanting to receive similar treatment, they left without further prompt.

Stepping back into the main dining room, Granny carefully approached Emma, making sure to keep a wide space around her, to assess her control. "You alright there?" Granny asked keeping her hands in front of her, attempting to appear as non-threatening as she could despite Emma's closed eyes.

Taking another deep breath, Emma opened her eyes, and attempted to smile. "Yeah. I'm really sorry about that. I-I dunno what happened there. Just he was making Belle scared, and I could smell her fear. And he was liking it. Ugh, I could smell that too. What the hell?!" Emma had her face scrunched up. She didn't notice the shocked looks on both of the other women's faces. "What's happeneing?!"

Emma's eyes were still very much yellow, and both women were at a loss for words. "You guys are kind of staring. What's going on?" Emma shifted uncomfortable under the scrutiny

"Your eyes, they are yellow. Well, kind of golden yellow, if that makes sense, but yeah, not your normal green." Ruby stated, not understanding how Emma could have just done what she had with having only just been bitten. She didn't know a lot, about wolves that were changed, but she knew most wolves weren't as strong as Emma had just shown. Most didn't have the level of control not to outright lose their temper during wolf's time, and none that she knew of had ever been able to do any of that without having successfully completed their first transformation. She was in awe.

"Why don't you both take Belle up to one of the rooms and calm down for a bit. I will clean up down here, and then we can all go over some of the stories you will need to hear." Granny gestured towards the back where the inn joined the diner. _'We need to have that chat now, before anything else happens.'_

"Uh, sure. Come on Rubes." Emma called, turning and walking quickly toward the back. "I'll grab Belle, you grab a room key. I don't really want just anyone to be able to hear this."

Ruby wanted to argue that she should go with to get Belle, but felt the need to listen to what Emma had told her to do. She shook her head, and just went to grab the room key. Emma was right; they would need privacy for this conversation. Ruby saw Emma's old room was still open, so she grabbed the key and went to meet her girlfriend and her best friend. _'Things are about to get very interesting, that's for sure.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Emma found Belle in the sitting room, curled up in a large chair by the fireplace, using her red leather jacket as a blanket. There was an empty glass on the table next to her. Walking quickly over to her, Emma knelt down beside her, but didn't move any closer. She was worried that she had frightened Belle with her aggression towards the man earlier, and did not want to upset her any further if that was the case.

Speaking softly to not startle her, Emma reached out to rest her hand on the edge of the chair. "Are you ok?"

Belle immediately raised her head in surprise, having not heard Emma come in. "Of course. Thank you for stopping him. I didn't want to make a scene when he came over, but I froze when he grabbed my leg." Belle wrapped her arms tightly around Emma's neck before falling back in her seat and grinning lazily up at Emma, pulling the jacket tighter against her.

Emma noted that something seemed off with Belle. Scenting the air, Emma noted that Belle had no fear of her, which she was grateful for. Emma also noted that aside from being doused in Emma's scent, and what seemed to be arousal, it smelt like Belle had been drinking. _'Cider from the smell of it, and strong cider at that.'_ She could not remember Belle drinking when she had been in the diner, and realized that the empty glass was likely the source.

'_Mmm. She knows who we are. That is good. And she smells like us now too. No one will touch what is our again.'_ Again, Emma shook the strange thought out of her head. She felt like she was going crazy, hearing thoughts that didn't seem like her own in her head. But she knew they kind of made sense if they were coming from the wolf. It seemed to really like both Belle and Ruby, and consider them both her pack. She would ask Ruby about this when got upstairs.

"Granny said for us all to relax in one of the rooms upstairs. Ruby is grabbing a key and meeting us up there." Emma stood and held out her hand to Belle, who untucked her legs from under the jacket, and quickly stood. The rapid movement seemed to make her unsteady, and Bella stumbled into Emma, who caught her easily.

"Oh, sorry about that. Guess that glass of cider was stronger than I thought." Belle gestured with the empty glass on the table. Having her suspicions confirmed, Emma gauged Belle's level of intoxication.

Without letting go of Belle, Emma swiftly moved to her side, and picked her up bridal style. "Let's just get you up to the room and your girlfriend." Emma stated with an easy smile, knowing that Belle was beyond negotiating the stairs in her condition.

Belle giggled and smiled in return, before she snuggled into the crook of Emma's neck, breathing deeply. Making their way up the stairs, Emma saw Ruby waiting by the door to her old room, pacing impatiently.

* * *

><p>Watching Emma carry Belle towards her, Ruby was instantly worried that she had been hurt. "Is she alright?" Ruby asked anxiously as they neared. Scenting the air around them, she noted that there did not seem to be any blood, only the mild scent of cider. She could also smell the strong scent of Belle and Emma mixed together with her own scent, and hints of arousal. It was a confusing mix, especially as Emma's scent was so strong. It was earthy, like spring, but sweet as well.<p>

"No, she was just a little wobbly after she had a glass of cider, apparently. Didn't want her to twist her ankle on the stairs, and I knew you would be anxious to see her." Emma answered, not looking the least bit uncomfortable carrying Belle in her arms. "Shall we?"

"Um, sure, of course. Here, I'll get the door." Ruby answered, unlocking the door and opening it wide for Emma to walk through. "You smell good as a wolf, by the way. It's strong, but not overwhelming. It suits you. You just smell really, really good." Ruby walked into the room as Emma laid Belle in the middle of the bed. The scent had gotten stronger as Emma passed, and she couldn't help inhaling deeply.

"Belle said the same thing earlier. I think that's why she is making out with my jacket." Emma laughed as she lowered Belle onto the bed, who immediately rolled to her side on the bed, nuzzling into the jacket again.

Ruby thought she should feel jealous of Belle's behaviour, but she for some reason found that it seemed normal. Stifling a yawn, Ruby headed to the bed herself, and sat up against the headboard next to Belle. Emma mirrored her position on her other side.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Emma said shyly, looking straight across the room, not meeting Ruby's gaze. "I have been having some weird thoughts pop into my head lately. They are usually talking about "us" and are kind of possessive. Is that normal, or am I losing it? Like, is that my wolf that I am hearing or is it just weird thoughts?"

"Well, given that you were bit less than 24 hours ago, you shouldn't be experiencing any of what you have been, but it's kind of normal for a wolf that hasn't been fully accepted by their human. Before your first change, and until you and the wolf become one, you kind of feel like you have a second person in your head, especially during Wolf's time. Or at least I did." Ruby seemed lost in her thoughts as she spoke.

"I didn't accept my wolf for a long time, so for me it was like that for years. After I gained control, and we, I dunno, merged I guess? Well, after that it's more like it my own thoughts with strong impulses to act a certain way. The "we" and "us" thing stopped for me then." Ruby paused, and looked over at the blonde, who had begun tracing patterns absently up and down Belle's arm. Noting the proximity Emma had maintained to Belle, her reaction to the guy earlier, and Belle's reaction to Emma's new wolf scent, she started to worry what might be happening between her best friend and her girlfriend, even if it didn't feel strange.

"When you say possessive thoughts, what do you mean exactly?" Ruby narrowed her eyes towards the blonde who, realizing what she was doing, immediately put her hands in her lap. A deep blush crept from her face, down to her chest.

"Well, um. Ok, please let me finish, because I think it will get confusing, but just hear me out." Emma stood and started pacing the room, wringing her hands nervously. "So all my senses have been going kind of crazy today, especially my sense of smell. I can smell everything, and I'm starting to get used to it now, and I'm just doing it automatically now, like it's completely normal, but when we were talking and waiting for everything to slow down so you could talk to us, I started to be able to pick apart the scents more. I could smell you on her, and her, and I thought _'She has marked her as hers.'_ And then that she would join the pack soon." Emma had started to babble, trying to get everything out quickly. She had stopped her pacing and was facing Ruby as she continued.

"We were talking about how she had wanted to be bitten and become a wolf too, because she knows how we age differently, and she wants to stay with you for your whole lives together. And we age differently? And wow, that was easy to fall into the 'we' thing, is that normal too? And then I had another though about how you smell good together." Taking a deep breath, Emma resumed pacing, gesturing with her hands as she spoke. "She said something about how I smelled like you now, only more _something_, oh and that my eyes flashed yellow when I was smelling her and staring. And I'm sorry for staring, I didn't mean to." Emma's blush deepened. "I don't know why, but when I went to go to the washroom, I took my jacket off and put it around her. She just kept sniffing it and that made me smile."

Ruby had remained perfectly still as Emma had explained everything so far. It was confusing her, as some of the things she heard should have made her upset, but she just waited for Emma to continue before she was going to speak. She needed the time to think everything through.

"When I came back, that guy was sitting beside her, in my seat. Like seriously, I was just sitting there, it was obvious I was going to be right back, why would he take what was clearly _mine?!_" Emma had stopped pacing and was growling softly as she continued her story. "And I could smell that she was scared. I didn't even think about it, I just started sniffing the air. He was so close to her, and I could see that she didn't want him near her and I could smell that she was scared. But then I caught another scent. I don't know how I knew what it was, but he was getting off on scaring her. It made me so angry. I thought _'She's ours, not his.'_ Meaning yours and mine. Is that like a pack thing too? Anyway, when he put his hand on her leg, I snapped." Emma stopped in the middle of the room again, this time locking her eyes with Ruby. To her credit, Ruby didn't look away, but it was hard.

"He had his hand on her leg, and she was scared. I just reacted. I wanted to rip him to shreds. I didn't hear any thoughts that time, but I felt this urge to protect her, because she's ours. I just felt it. And you saw what happened." Emma was tense, head held high, her body vibrating with anger. Ruby saw her eyes were almost glowing again, the dull yellow ring forming around her iris, and Ruby could no longer hold Emma's gaze. She whimpered at the look on Emma's face.

Blinking rapidly, Emma shook her head, immediately moving over to Ruby, kneeling down beside her, and began nuzzling her jaw, the same way Ruby had done to her the previous night. Relaxing immediately, Ruby snuggled into the crook of Emma's neck, pulling her into a hug. Both pulled back after a moment and smiled sheepishly.

"So what does all that mean? Am I losing my mind or is this normal?" Emma asked.

A throat cleared behind them, startling the girls. Emma whipped around quickly, bearing her teeth and letting out a deep growl at the intruder.


	4. Chapter 4

A voice spoke up behind them, startling the girls. Emma whipped around quickly, bearing her teeth and letting out a deep growl at the intruder. Belle bolted up at the sound, looking around for the danger. Ruby simply smiled.

"Oh hush yourself pup. I'm no more a threat to you than that pillow there." Granny stated, gesturing to the out-dated decorative pillow on the chair in the corner. "And besides, given everything I just heard, you are going to want me here to explain some things to you."

Granny moved over to the previously indicated chair, taking a seat, and placing said pillow behind her back. "The three of you may want to get comfortable. This may take while to go through." Holding up a hand, Granny interrupted whatever Belle was about to say. "And before you start Belle, I know what you want, and it looks like we may have no choice soon enough. So you will stay too. But keep quiet until the end, because although you may already know a lot about werewolves, you don't know everything yet."

Belle blushed and looked down at being called out on her eagerness to remain. "Now get comfortable." All three women began resituating themselves quickly, eager to find out what was going on that had the older woman so serious, even for her.

After all three women were comfortable on the bed Granny took notice of their positions, with a small smile. "First, I want you to look at how you are right now. Don't over think things, just look at how you just arranged yourselves. I will explain everything in a moment, but it's important you realize what's already started to happen."

Looking at each other, the girls noted their positions, and how intimate they appeared to be without thought. Ruby was still seated at the head of the bed, with her legs over Belles lower back and around Emma's body, who had moved to sit beside Belle. Belle was lying on her stomach between the two women, under Ruby's legs, with an arm over Emma's knee. Emma was seated beside Belle, and arm resting on her back, and with one of Ruby's feet in her lap, the other resting comfortably against her rear. They were a tangled mess of limbs, but were all very comfortable.

"Although it is normal for packs to be close physically, the way that you three moved into this position so quickly, with one of you still being human, one having been just bitten, and one having never really lived in a pack before, says there is something more than considering each other pack mates." Granny stated without preamble. All three women blushed deeply, but none shifted from their positions. Emma had again begun to draw random patterns, this time on Ruby's leg, and Belle's back.

"Ruby, both by birthright, and right of challenge, is an Alpha. Normally this would mean you, Emma, and when you have changed, Belle, would defer to her. Instinctually you wouldn't want to upset her, would follow her directions unless you strongly disagreed with them, and would want to take care of each other. You wouldn't be able to look her in the eye for long when she was upset with you, and would feel guilty for whatever you did wrong. That is the normal behaviour for new and young wolves in a pack. But this isn't the case with you three though." All three women looked at Granny slightly confused.

"Last night Ruby, when I arrived, you made Emma upset when you spoke about Henry. When she was upset, you couldn't look at her, you kept looking at the ground. Emma, you took a very dominating stance, and didn't hesitate to stand up to Ruby. When Emma opened the cell, Ruby immediately nuzzled your jaw, apologizing for upsetting her." Granny recounted to the women. Belle looked over her shoulder at Ruby, who was blushing furiously, avoiding eye contact. "The grin on your face when she hugged you and forgave you, I thought you would start wagging a tail even though the moon had gone down." Granny teased, making Ruby blush even more.

"Then today, about the thoughts I heard Emma mention. They are possessive, not only over Belle, but you as well, Ruby. That is unusual, as wolves only tend to become possessive over a few select things. Their pups, their territory, and…" Granny left off, waiting for the women to catch on to where this was going.

"Their mates." Belle breathed out. "They are very possessive over their mates. Often resorting to violence when they feel their mates are in danger, or if someone is disrespecting their bond, usually due to lust."

Replaying her actions and thoughts earlier in the diner, Emma sat with her jaw hanging open at the implication. Ruby had stiffened thinking of what she too had seen, and feeling the stirrings or a foreign emotion she couldn't name.

"But mates have to be wolves as well. We don't form a mate bond with humans. And we know Belle is my True Love. Blue confirmed it with Fairy Dust after we found out about Gold's spell on Belle." Ruby said, becoming increasingly frantic as she continued. "It's not possible!"

Belle had yet to move, still staring at Granny in shock. She knew that wolves could have True Loves, without being mated to the human, and that it was just as strong of a bond. _'Could it be?_' Belle remembered something then, a rare book she had read in Gold's library on wolves. _'Something about magic users, the wolf curse, mates and Alpha's? Damn it, what was that passage!'_ It came to her suddenly, and she was stunned at the realization of what Granny was implying.

"Are you talking about the Prophecy of the White Wolf?!" Belle locked eyes with Granny, who was surprised she knew of that particular Prophecy. Belle heard Ruby gasp behind her, but made no move to break eye contact with the elder. If she was right, it would change everything, for all of them.

"Yes. That is exactly what I am thinking is happening here. It makes sense. How quickly she began showing symptoms, the traits she is already showing, the instinctual reactions to Ruby, to you, to threats. And she is already a magic user, a _White_ magic user at that. That and she has been called Saviour in Prophecy before." Granny finished, nodding sagely to Belle, who sat with wondering eyes.

"Umm, hi. Still in the room here, and very, very lost. Want to clarify things a bit for me, please?" Emma stated looking between all three other women. Ruby was frozen in place, staring blankly at her grandmother and Belle, while Belle and Granny seemed to be having a silent conversation only they were privy to. "What Prophesy is this, and how do I fit in this one?"

"The Prophesy of the White Wolf is part of the history of werewolves. According to our history, there was a magic user who became a wolf thousands of generations ago. They were stronger, faster, and more powerful than any Wolf before it, a True Alpha. They united the packs and brought peace to the wolves at last, after years of wars. They, and their family after them, founded and ruled the Kingdom of the Wolves for 1000 generations. They prospered, and wolves lived in peace they had never known before. When the last of the line of the White Wolf fell, the kingdom fell, and the wolves returned to their separate ways and squabbling. It was foretold that there would come another wolf, The White Wolf, who would be the Saviour of the wolves, and refound the Kingdom on the wolves, after 1000 generations or suffering. The Saviour of the Wolves would have magic, White magic, as well as a few other things. They would not be born a wolf, but would have the curse thrust upon them. They would be of royal birth, but never ruled. They would also have an unusual bonding mate." Granny replied.

"Well, it wasn't so much about their bond mate, as their, um…_mates?_" Ruby squeaked out, finally joining the conversation.

"Mates? As in, more than one?" Emma said. "You think because… that I'm… that we…"

"Yes. The only other was we can test the theory, is to check for the mark. If you are The White Wolf, it should have formed by now, given that you are already showing behaviours." Granny stated succinctly. "Here, this is what it will look like." Handing the paper over, Emma saw the symbol she had drawn. It looked like four pointed, long black claw marks, the top one having another small line extending from the side like the mark of a fifth claw that had run into the other.

"Um, where is this supposed to show up? On my body? Because I haven't seen anything like that anywhere." Emma stated, turning her arms and hands over looking for the mark.

"It should be on your ribs, close to your heart." Belle replied. "The legend said every wolf of the White Wolf line would carry this mark close to their heart, to show they could never be parted from their mates."

"So having more than one mate was a normal thing for the White Wolf line?" Standing, Emma stripped off her shirt, and began looking for the mark. Granny smirked at Emma's behaviour, as both Ruby and Belle' s faces heated with their blushes. "I don't see anything, do you?" Emma continued to search herself, oblivious to the eyes of the other two women roving her figure.

"Stop." Ruby called. Emma froze, and waited for Ruby to elaborate. Hopping off the bed, Ruby walked over to Emma, and lifted her hands above her head. "What? Do you see it?" Emma asked, impatient for answers.

"Do you trust me?" Ruby asked, keeping her eyes on Emma. She nodded, and Ruby stepped around behind her. "Just remember, we are all girls here, so it nothing we haven't seen before." Ruby stated, before she unclasped Emma's bra, hoping the breathless quality wasn't noticed in her voice. It was.

Moving back around to the front, Ruby shifted the bra slightly up, so as not to bare Emma to the room, but enough to show the black mark that she had spotted. Ruby had seen a small bit of it when Emma had twisted and her bra had shifted.

Gently tracing it with her fingers, Ruby noted it looked like the mark started on her side, and moved towards the heart, tapering off to jagged points.

Emma's breathing hitched at the gentle touch. She quickly moved away from the caress, and over to the mirror in the room to see the mark for herself, as Ruby returned to the bed to hold Belle. "Well, I guess that settles that then. I am another Saviour, of the wolf variety this time." Emma stated with a shrug of her shoulders and a small laugh. "The four lines are representing the claw marks from a wolf, right?" She asked, not seeing the look shared between Belle and Ruby. Both were scared of the reaction of the other to the news they were about to share.

All eyes in the room turned to Granny, who had sat quietly in the chair in the corner with a knowing smirk on her face. "Not quite. As you know, wolves, both regular and magical, mate for life. As you know, The White Wolf has more than one. You do, in fact, have three. Each line of the mark represents a mate, with the top line representing yourself, and reminding you to always know that without them, you are less."

"Hold up, back up for a second there. So, I am this White Wolf, born to save the wolves, yadda yadda yadda. But I have not only one mate, but _**three**__?!_ And you think Ruby and Belle are each one of those mates?! Who is the fourth?!" Emma began ranting. She had started to feel a fever again, and had started to sweat as her agitation grew. "Do you know who she is? You must or you wouldn't be telling me. **Where is she?! You will not keep us from what is **_**ours**__**!**_" Snarling, Emma eyed Granny, the yellow glow having returned to her eyes. Belle and Ruby were beyond shocked, both at Emma's acceptance, and the fact that she was becoming so aggressive towards Granny.

"Whoa. Clam yourself pup, you will scare your mates." Granny calmly stated, gesturing towards Belle and Ruby.

Upon seeing their worried eyes, Emma immediately blanched and moved to the bed. Nuzzling first Belle, and then Ruby, Emma wiggled her way under both of their legs, and lay on her stomach, a look of pure regret on her face. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Oh god, I am so sorry. I don't know why I got so worked up there. Sorry for snapping at you too Granny."

"It's fine. You are probably hungry, and it's getting close to moon rise. I'm surprised you calmed down as quickly as you did." Granny called as she stood and moved to the door of the room. "I'm going to go make some dinner for us all, while the three of you talk for a bit. I know you will need to sort a few things out amongst yourselves." Stopping at the door, she made a point to lock gazes with Emma. "You won't turn tonight. But you are going to feel out of sorts. Your temper will flare, you will be restless, and you will have other… urges that will need to be addressed. I expect you to control them, and yourself." Looking again to Ruby and Belle, Granny continued. "Not to mention, the three of you need to discuss Belle being bitten as well. I suspect that you can both transfer the curse when the moon is up tonight, but only one of you needs to bite her. That needs to be settled as soon as possible, or things could get more complicated than they already are." Closing the door behind her, Granny left the three women to begin figuring out their new situation, and how they would fit together.


	5. Chapter 5

Lying in the bed with Ruby and Belle, Emma was content to just be for a few minutes and think. There was so much to take in, and she was surprised she was not being overwhelmed by everything. After thinking over everything that had happened in the last day, Emma decided that they did need to talk, and as much as she was enjoying the contact, they did need to get Belle sorted right away.

"So, Belle, you are apparently joining the werewolf club too?" Emma tried to joke. Belle saw her attempt at humour, and smiled widely in return, excited by the idea that she would get her wish, and very soon at that. Ruby, however, did not feel the same way, and anger immediately overtook her features.

"She's not becoming a monster! I refuse to bite her, and I won't allow you to do that to her either. NO!" Ruby leapt from the bed and began glaring at both Emma and Belle, daring them to challenge her. "There is no reason for her to suffer through this too."

"Um, yeah. Ruby, there are just a few small problems with that. One, it's her choice. I know how you feel about being a werewolf, and everything that happened, but Belle is her own person first, and she has a right to make that decision for herself. If she asks, I won't deny her, not because of the who mate thing, but because it's what she wants. Two, you already share True Love, so it's reasonable that she will want to be with you, and you being stubborn isn't going to change either of those facts. And three, if I really am the White Wolf, then she's my mate too, and I want her to have that choice. So why don't you calm down, and we can all talk about this like adults." Emma had risen from the bed, and turned to face Ruby, keeping herself positions between Belle and the clearly angry wolf. Emma knew she would never hurt Belle, but it was another of her instincts to keep her safe.

"You are not taking her from me. She is _**my mate. MINE! And you will not hurt her!**__"_ Ruby snarled, and leapt at Emma, tackling her to the bed. Her eyes were glowing a bright yellow as she bared her teeth at the blonde she attempted to pin and force into submission.

Belle yelped, and rolled to the head of the bed, out of the way of the falling women, as Emma and Ruby landed where she had just been lying. She watched as Emma flipped their position, and easily pinned Ruby's hands above her head. As Ruby continued to struggle in Emma's hold, Emma forced her hips between Ruby's thighs, pinning her lower body to the bed as well. Snarling and snapping at Emma, Ruby refused to calm down, despite Belle and Emma both being visibly upset.

Having reached the limit of her patience, Emma let out a low growl that built in volume, her own eyes glowing a bright yellow, baring her teeth at Ruby. Hearing the growl, and seeing the yellow glow, Ruby's body began to relax. Emma continued to growl until Ruby stopped fighting all together, chests heaving from their battle.

Drawing a deep breath in, Emma instinctively knew that Ruby was calm from her scent, but she could also smell her arousal, which surprised the blonde, making Emma's eyes fluttered at the scent. Still holding Ruby's arms, Emma let out a lower rumble from deep in her chest, announcing her knowledge of Ruby's arousal, and her pleasure at scenting it.

Having never lost a fight, Ruby was aware of her current position, and found it thrilling that Emma had been able to restrain her. It sent a bolt of desire straight through her, settling deep in her core. When she saw Emma's eyes flutter, she knew that Emma could smell her. The rumble that began deep in Emma's chest was sending further waves of desire through her. Her wolf wanted its mates, and she wanted Emma. Instinctively dipping he head to the side in submission, she knew she was inviting Emma to claim her, hoping not to be rejected.

Seeing Ruby submit to her, baring her throat for Emma to claim her, she couldn't stop her response. Lunging forward, Emma sunk her teeth into the spot where Ruby's neck met her shoulder, digging her teeth in deeply. She could taste the small bit of blood on her tongue, and hear Ruby groaning, as she bucked her hips into Emma, which only increased her own desire for the brunette pinned beneath her.

Ruby was lost in the sensation of Emma's teeth in her shoulder and the pleasure it sent through her entire body. She knew she would bear the mating mark, she had felt Emma's teeth break the skin, and she was in heaven. Unable to really move, Ruby bucked against Emma searching for the friction she needed to push her over that edge. She wasn't expecting the arousal that had been coursing through her to reach a peak so suddenly and intensely.

Emma responded to the groans and whimpers by grinding her pelvis into Ruby's groin, her teeth still locked into Ruby's shoulder. Both moaned at the contact, before Ruby stiffened in Emma's arms, crying out loudly as she came. Emma continued to grind into Ruby, prolonging her pleasure, not yet releasing her hold.

Pulling her teeth from Ruby's neck, Emma began to gently lick at the wound, a double set of teeth impressions, intuitively cleaning and soothing the wound. The bleeding stopped almost immediately, but Emma continued to lathe the area with her tongue for several more moments.

Leaning back, Emma locked eyes with Ruby. The intensity of the look was shocking to both, as both felt the pull to the other deep in their chests. Ruby quickly brought her now free hands up to tangle in Emma's hair, bringing her in for a bruising kiss that was all teeth and tongues.

Breaking the heated kiss, Emma smirked down at Ruby. "So how long have you had this crush on me Rubes?"

Breathless, Ruby replied without missing a beat. "Since you first answered the door in your 'PJ's'. With those legs and abs, it's kind of hard to resist thinking about you." Ruby answered with a smirk of her own.

"That was intense. I'm sorry I reacted that way." She continued, now turning her gaze to Belle, who was still seated at the top of the bed, watching the two women.

Through the entire exchange, Belle had observed the pair, and the sight had greatly affected her. It had been the most erotic thing she had ever witnessed, and she was surprised she didn't feel any jealousy over what had just happened. She knew what Emma had done, even if the blonde didn't fully grasp it yet, and that Ruby had initiated it.

Fanning herself to lower the flush of her cheeks, she smiled back at Ruby. "It's alright. I know you are only being protective. It's basically the same reaction you have every time I have tried to discuss it with you, without the lunging. But I know what I am getting into my wolf, and I still want this. I have done the research, and I will have you, Granny, and now Emma too to help me with control. Emma is right that it is my decision. And I am choosing to spend my life with my mates. I hope you can accept that."

At Belle's declaration, Emma and Ruby shared a look. Ruby knew that she had been irrational with her fears, but she was more worried about losing control and hurting Belle, or Belle doing something she would have to live with for a very long time, like she had. She only wanted to protect the woman she loved, but as Emma had pointed out, it was Belle's decision.

With their silent agreement, Emma and Ruby both moved up from their position on the bed and each took a seat Belle's side. "Are you sure?" Emma asked. "We will both still be here if you decide not to do this. I know you have said you want this, but there is no turning back once this happens."

"And we can wait and do this another time; there is no rush to jump into this." Ruby added, eying her girlfriend with resignation to the coming decision.

"I am sure. This is what I want." Belle answered confidently. Turning to her left, she gently kissed Ruby, tracing her cheek with her fingertips. "I want you for the rest of my life, and I want that life to be a very, very long one." Turning back to the right, facing Emma. "And I have to ask, do you answer the door to everyone in next to nothing? Seems that Ruby and I have the same first impression Sheriff." Belle had been seeking Rumple out when she had been released from the hospital, and had gotten lost, knocking on the Sherriff's door first, and getting quite the eyeful.

"Only to those lucky few." Emma responded with a wink. "I know you want Ruby, you are her True Love. But I have to ask, do you want me as well? Aside from the Prophecy, you have never shown an interest in me as anything other than a friend, and I don't want you to choose this because of what someone wrote down a million years ago."

"Emma, you are smart, beautiful, funny, and you have meant a great deal to me as a friend. I was with Ruby, and you didn't seem all that interested yourself. But I assure you, I know what I want, and that includes you." Belle answered with a small smile.

Leaning in Belle gently pressed her lips to Emma's in a surprising kiss. "And if what Ruby just experienced was anything to go by, I am looking forward to finding out just how much you care for me as well." Pausing for a moment to gauge the expressions on both women's faces, Belle was relieved to only find desire there.

Not wanting to ignore the changes in their relationship, Belle pushed forward, changing the topic. "Now since the moon is almost up, we need to talk quickly about what just happened. Do you know what you just did Emma?"

With a heavy blush, Emma locked eyes with Ruby. "I made her submit, and then bit her? I'm pretty sure the wet spot on my stomach also means Ruby came from it? That's about all I solidly have, but I'm guessing I did something big, didn't I?"

Both women chuckled at Emma's embarrassment. "Yes, Ruby did, and very hard, from the sounds of it. But where you bit her, Emma, and the mark you left. That's a mating mark for wolves. You essentially just married Ruby, according to werewolf tradition. Well, almost anyway. She has to mark you for the bonding to be complete, but I have no doubt that will happen soon."

Emma's jaw dropped. She had no idea what had come over her, she had just followed her instincts, and now she was half wolf-married, to Ruby, her best friend. Who was in a relationship, and was apparently her mate. _'Our mate.'_ Shaking her head she closed her mouth waiting for Belle to continue.

"When the moon rises tonight, it is the last of Wolf's Time this month. I want you both to bite me, because even if this new part of our relationship is new, you have been a great friend to both Ruby and I, and since we are going to be a pack at the very least, I would like it to be both of you. It won't affect me like it did you Emma, but it will be enough to start the curse. Can you both do that?" Belle asked, taking both Ruby's and Emma's hands.

Sharing a look, Emma and Ruby both nodded. They had not yet discussed the core issues between them, but it was Belle's decision, and they would need to respect that. It might not even work, but they could try, and both women felt the pull to do whatever possible to make her happy.

"Perfect. Then the last thing we need to talk about is if you will both be going out or staying in tonight? I know you haven't changed yet Emma, but I know when the moon rises, Ruby can't stand to spend the entire night cooped up at home. She needs to run it off. I assume that it will be the same for you. Everything else can wait for later."

"I think I am going to need to run tonight, for a little bit, and then I can wear my cloak for the rest of the night so we can all spend some time together, and maybe talk. What do you think Emma?" Ruby asked, hoping that they had not yet overwhelmed the blonde and scared her too much. It was a lot of information, and very drastic changes for all of them in a single night.

"I have a feeling that I'll need to spend some time out running with one of my wives, and then some much need time snuggling up with both of my wives for the rest of the night. We can talk, but if my instincts and feelings are like this after only a night, I know what I want in all this. Besides, you guys aren't the only ones who've been crushing on someone they thought they couldn't have." Grinning, Emma flashed a wink at both women, setting their unspoken concerns at ease.

Granny came back at that moment, with a large tray of steaks for them all. "All rare, and all from the last deer you brought back, Ruby. Now dig in." All of the women took a plate, beginning to eat quickly, all ravenous for various reasons.

When dinner was finished, Granny again excused herself, saying she would talk again with them all in the morning. She left Ruby's cloak on the chair she had been sitting on, on her way out, which Ruby quickly placed around her shoulders. She could feel the moon beginning to rise, and did not want to transform before fulfilling Belle's wish.

Emma had begun to feel feverish again, and having too much energy to sit still, she began to bounce on the balls of her feel next to the bed, before pacing the room. She knew she wouldn't change tonight, but she could already feel the pull the moon had over her.

As Belle held a hand out to both women, Emma returned to her spot next to Belle, as Ruby retook her place on her other side. Clearing her throat, Ruby felt the need to check with Belle one final time before they all took this next step together. "Are you ready for this?"

"Yes. I am ready, and I am more than sure. Are both of you?" Belle replied without hesitation. "We can always wait if one or both of you are not ready. I don't want to force you into this anymore than you want to force me into something." Both Emma and Ruby nodded, both feeling the power of the moon pull at them more and more, driving their instincts to new heights. They knew that they could never refuse Belle anything that would make her happy.

Gently pulling Belle forward to sit in the middle of the bed, Ruby gathered her hair back and tilted her head up to give them both access to her neck. Moving to mirror Ruby's position, Emma felt power once again surge to the surface, now knowing that what she felt was her wolf shining through.

Emma ran her nose gently over where she knew she would bite, taking note of Belle's scent, as well as the scent of her arousal at their nearness. Her pulse was loud, thundering through her veins, and both Ruby and Emma could hear Belle's heart beat pickup at their increased proximity. The deep rumble again started in Emma's chest, and she could hear the same erotic sound coming from Ruby.

All at once, it was too much for either of them to resist, and they lunged forward in tandem, sinking their teeth in at the same time on opposite side of Belle's throat. Belle let out a silent scream of pleasure as she was overwhelmed in sensation, before she blacked out.


	6. Chapter 6

Belle awoke feeling very warm and content, the soft tangle of limbs around her, and she couldn't help but smile at the quiet conversation she could hear between the two women who had claimed her as their own.

"That was intense. Is that what you felt when you marked me?" Ruby asked in awe. The feeling of desire and rightness had overwhelmed her, and instinct had become her driving force.

"It felt very similar for me when I bit you, but different at the same time." Emma answered with a smile in her voice. She had no regrets about her decisions tonight. "We are going to have to open the window before we leave though. All I can smell is the arousal coming off of both of you, and its driving me crazy."

"Believe me, I know what you mean. Belle has always smelt mouth-watering, but the two of you in a room together makes it hard to concentrate." Ruby shot Emma a wolfish grin, her eyes flashing yellow.

"Mmm, at least now you know how I felt watching you two earlier." Belle said in a sleepy voice. She heard matching chuckles, and then felt her neck being nuzzled on either side. It was tender, but not overly painful, and the nuzzling was already driving her to distraction. "How long was I out for?"

"It's only been about fifteen minutes. If it had been much longer, we may have started to really worry." Ruby replied. "This one took at least 10 minutes of it to calm down after you passed out. Almost had to slap her, she was so frantic."

"Hey, you didn't pass out when I bit you. I was worried that something went wrong. I'm not exactly used to everything wolf-related yet. And don't act like you weren't either. You were the one whimpering for the first five minutes." Emma retorted, playfully pushing at the brunettes shoulder.

"Quit it you two. I'm enjoying myself right now, so no bickering. You haven't even been mated a day yet and you sound like an old married couple already." Belle teased her mates, causing both to look at he in stunned silence.

'_Mates. Our mates. We will be strong, and they will be safe. We will make them happy.'_ Again came the thoughts to Emma. Smiling at the new voice-thought in her mind, she didn't bother to try and shake it away this time. She was happy, and she knew what her wolf was saying was true. She wasn't going to fight it, unless it was something that would make them unhappy, and so far, she was blissfully happy with how things were going.

"Now go for your run and leave me to get some rest. I expect the both of you back here before the sun rises to high. I'm sure you will both be restless after your run, and we can talk then." Bell shooed both Ruby and Emma towards the door, smiling at the women who were still silent at her direction.

Standing from the bed, each woman changed into the clothing Granny had left for them in the joining washroom. Ruby changed into cut off denim shorts, and a white tank-top. She didn't bother with shoes as she was used to being barefoot before her runs, and clothing was useless when she had four legs anyway. Emma changed into a sports bra and running shorts, her usual running gear when the weather was warm enough. She also went without shoes as she felt the need to ware as little as possible tonight. Sharing a look, Emma and Ruby both jumped back on the bed, each kissing the mark they had made on Belle's neck, before sharing a quick kiss with her. All three women giggled at the happiness they found bursting in their chests tonight, and they all hoped it never faded.

After the other two women left, Belle snuggled back into the blankets that smelt of her mates, and drifted off to a contented sleep, hoping to dream about what she now knew were her mates, and the lives that they would share together.

* * *

><p>Outside the B&amp;B, Ruby led Emma to a well-worn trail leading into the forest. Both were eager to run off the energy they could both feel building inside them from the pull of the moon. Taking the lead, Ruby led Emma to a small path that headed off deeper into the woods, knowing the way by heart.<p>

"This leads to a clearing just at the edge of the deeper woods. There is a place there that I usually hide my clothes and my cape. Saves me giving half the town a show when I am too tired to run back and the moon has already set." Ruby said with a smile, taking Emma's hand and lacing their fingers together. "There is enough room for a couple sets of clothes, so we can all use it when we have enough control to run together."

"I always wondered where you kept your clothes. I know you lose them when you shift. But I thought you just ran home as a wolf." Emma laughed, enjoying the mental picture of Ruby streaking through town.

"I do sometimes, unless I forget or am upset close to moonrise. It is hard to control my shift then sometimes, so I have to be careful coming home." Ruby smiled sadly at the thought.

Pulling Ruby to a stop, Emma gently pulled her chin up to, forcing Ruby to meet her gaze. "You are a passionate person, who feels things very deeply. There is nothing wrong with being upset and needing to run it off, or losing your composure every so often. Everyone blows a gasket at some point, and so long as they don't hurt anyone, no one is really upset with them. Its human nature, and even if you are part wolf, you are just as human as they are, and they need to remember that. I was only bitten last night, and already I know that it's a part of me, but I also know I will mess up, and blow up, and I know I will be forgiven for it just like anyone else. But heaven help anyone who gets an eyeful of my mate though. _Mine._" Emma finished with a playful growl. "Besides, running off some tension is a favourite pastime of mine as well."

Leaning in to nuzzle Emma's jaw, Ruby knew she was never going to look at being a wolf the same again. Emma hadn't even shifted for the first time, and seemed like she was already comfortable with everything that was being thrown at her. Being a werewolf, prophesies, mates. It was almost more than Ruby could handle, but Emma just gave a smirk, shrugged and started comforting her best friends turned mates. She really was an amazing woman. Ruby knew she was lucky to have her. And the fact that she had had a crush on Emma since her second day in town didn't hurt either.

Returning to their walk to the clearing, Ruby thought back to the last time she had a pack to run with. It had been when she had found her mother, Anita. She had felt so complete, so cared for, and with people she had barely known. Even though Emma wouldn't change tonight, she knew this would be special. _'My first run with my mate.'_

Arriving at the clearing, Ruby showed Emma the hollowed out tree that she used each month to hide her clothing in. There was a hidden compartment that she used to keep her things safe when she ran, behind a panel that could be moved and replaced.

Taking a step back from Emma, she let a sultry smile grace her lips, before she slowly began to remove her top, followed quickly by her shorts. Tossing the clothing to the side, Ruby enjoyed the hungry look in Emma's eyes as she stood bare before her in the moonlight, save for her red cape.

Swallowing hard, Emma let her eyes roam Ruby's figure for a moment before meeting her gaze._ 'OURS!'_

"Running always leaves me feeling very _restless_. Maybe we can work off some of our nervous energy, when we get back from our run. Assuming you can keep up, of course." Ruby taunted with a saucy wink.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, or a flirt, Emma boldly walked up to Ruby, and tangled her fingers in her hair, and gripping her hip. Pulling her into a kiss filled with as much passion as Emma could, she tugged Ruby's head back, until her slim neck was fully exposed. Nosing the newly healed mark, a feral grin, and a low husk to her voice, she growled into Ruby's ear, "Let's find out just who has the most _tension_ to work off then, shall we?"

Quickly stepping back out of Ruby's personal space, she noticed that Ruby had begun panting at their exchange, her eyes a solid glowing yellow. Holding her hand out for Ruby's cape, Emma quickly placed all the clothing into the tree, and turned in time to watch Ruby quickly shift into her wolf.

'_Our mate is gorgeous.'_ The thought echoed in her mind, and Emma couldn't agree more. Emma hadn't had the chance to interact with Ruby yet in her wolf form, and this was in fact her first time seeing her, as well as the transformation from human to wolf.

As a woman, Ruby was breathtaking. Lithe, toned limbs with flawless pale skin that seemed to almost glow in the moonlight, graceful when she moved, so much so that it seemed almost unnatural, and eyes that were an open book for any that cared to read. She could make you feel comfortable with a single smile, or cut you to the quick with a single glare. It was truly amazing the woman that she was.

As a wolf, Ruby was imposing. Her fur was black as night, eyes bright yellow, she stood chest height to Emma, larger than any wolf she had seen in a zoo. Her body screamed strength and power, ferocity. But at the same time, you could see the woman under the fur, the gentle soul who longed to be free and happy.

Unable to resist, Emma reached out and stroked her hand through the soft fur on Ruby's neck, an unconscious "beautiful" falling from her lips. Ruby nuzzled her hand, locking he gaze with Emma. She had never felt better about being her wolf around anyone. With Emma, she had no fear that she would hurt her, and her wolf was simply overjoyed to the physical affection she was receiving.

'_She will be everything we need her to be. And we must make sure we are the same for her as well. Anything and everything she needs, we will provide it for her, and she us. Our mate.'_

Suddenly jumping away, tail wagging playfully, Ruby pranced a few steps, hoping the blonde would follow her, before she took off into the woods. Not to be out done, Emma chased her with her own new found grace. The game was on, and neither would let the other win without a fight.

They raced through the woods for miles, panting as they ran, revelling in joy of being out in the forest at night, running free in the wild. Neither paid attention to where they ran, only to the one they ran with, to the game they played only with each other. The connection was incredible for them. They were free, and together, and beyond happy.

Emma had some trouble keeping pace with Ruby at first, her four legs offering greater speed then Emma's two could ever hope to produce, but still they ran. Running eventually turned into a game of tag, Ruby's growls and barks mixing with Emma's laughter and giggles. Tag eventually turned into hide and seek, each taking turns tackling the other to the ground, before running off to find their own hiding spot, to wait for the other to find them.

As the moon moved through the night sky, Emma and Ruby continued to play their games of tag/hide and seek through the woods, not noticing they had begun to come close to the areas that Robin Hood and his men tended to camp.

* * *

><p>Having heard the sounds of an animal and what sounded like a woman being chased, Robin grabbed his enchanted bow and quiver. "It sounds as if there is someone in trouble, my Queen. It sounds like an animal. I will be back soon. Please stay here with the fire where it is safe."<p>

Regina had thought that having found Robin after the curse had broken was a sign that she had earned her happy ending. She had fought hard and redeemed herself in the eyes of many, and although she would never consider herself one of the 'good guys', she felt that with Emma's help, she had at least reclaimed her spot in the moral grey of the real world.

This was the man that fairy dust had told her was her True Love, and that she would be happy with. And yet they always seemed to be at odds with each other. He was adverse to the modern conveniences that this world offered, aside from the improvements around bows and arrows. He preferred to sleep in the woods, with his men, and avoid the rest of the town at all costs. He was never a part of the society in Storybrook, and had no desire to be now.

His aversion to the town included both Henry and Emma as of late. He had wanted to have Roland around with the men, but as Henry preferred to spend time with Charming in the outdoors, she found that he was away more often as of late. Robin had no real desire to get to know Henry beyond the few encounters for dinner, and Henry did not seem inclined to press the issue either.

And between spending time with Robin, and with no longer running the town singlehandedly as the Mayor was now under the rule of the counsel, she had not seen Emma in days. Their relationship was still not the best, but she would no longer consider them enemies. She had hoped that they had moved towards being friends, but since her involvement with Robin, Emma had become increasingly distant, much to Regina's dismay. They were closer than Regina was to anyone else, but she was still unsure of how to move their friendship into more solid standing.

With a sigh, she again gave voice only in her mind to the thought that had been plaguing her more and more as of late. '_If he is my happy ending, why am I not happy?'_

"I'm not some helpless damsel. I'm coming with you." Was Regina's frosty reply, not liking that Robin still often treated her as such.

Robin had insisted that she spend the night out camping with him and his men today, and despite her aversion to the forest, she had agreed. Regina had tried to enjoy herself, but the food burned over the fire, and the hard ground did nothing to improve her mood. Being the only woman in such a large group of unwashed men did not help her disposition either. _'Could they not at least use a solar shower?!'_

Disregarding his weak protests, Regina followed as Robin began to lead them towards the sounds in the forest. They seemed to be moving towards them, quickly.

Moving silently through the woods, Regina continued to listen to the sounds of the woman and the animal that sounded like it was chasing her. It sounded like it was coming from the side of the forest that was around the far side of town. Pausing, Robin quickly nocked an arrow, motioning for Regina to stay back. Taking aim into the forest in the direction of the sounds, Robin began to move towards a large clearing he knew to be a short distance away.

Ignoring Robin's motions to remain behind him, Regina stepped into the clearing, and noticed that the moon was full and bright. _'Wolfs time.'_

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Emma burst into the far side of the clearing in a dead sprint, looking back over her shoulder with a wide grin as she ran. Darting to the left, a large black wolf was revealed behind Emma, clearly chasing her. She had spent enough time fighting the werewolf to know that it was Ruby.

As the wolf leapt at Emma, Regina's heart seemed to stop. But instead of the scream of fear that she expected, a shriek of playful joy followed by a loud peal of giggling left Emma's lips. Quickly, and with more grace than Regina knew she possessed, Emma ducked under the wolf's outstretched paws, coming to stand directly beside her, a large grin on her face as the two faced off, Ruby's tail wagging playfully.

At the same moment that Regina realized that there was no danger, she heard the distinct twang of an arrow being released, shouted a resounding "NO!" into the night air, hoping to warn the wolf, but knowing it would be too late, even for her magic.

* * *

><p>Hearing the loud "NO!" at the same moment as the twang of a bow string, Emma felt a surge of energy push up through her body, her instincts telling her to protect Ruby from the threat they had not noticed during their play. Emma's hand shot out to her left with lightening speed, and plucked the arrow that had been headed straight for Ruby, from the air as if it had been floating as slowly as a feather.<p>

Shock flooded her system at what she had done, unsure how she was able to pull off the amazing feat. Studying the arrow for a moment, Emma felt the anger in her rise, alongside her power as the realization of the situation sunk in. _'Someone tried to kill our mate! They will die before they harm her!'_ Having never felt this level of rage, or power, Emma reacted purely on the new instincts that were rushing through her system, urging her to defend and protect her mate.

With a deep growl, Emma disappeared in a white cloud of smoke, before reappearing in front of Robin on the other side of the clearing, her eyes glowing yellow in the dark night. "**You will not harm our mate!**" Emma snarled at Robin, moving quickly forward to strike at him, rage contorting her features.

Frozen at the sight of Emma grabbing his arrow from the air, then appearing in front of him in a cloud of white smoke, looking for all the world like a savage beast, Robin did not react. Standing frozen, he did not even flinch when Emma moved.

Inhaling deeply again, Emma eyes snapped to Robin's right, locking on Regina, who had whispered her plea, but knowing there was nothing she could do. "Stop."


	7. Chapter 7

Regina, shocked at Emma's sudden stop, gasped at seeing the yellow glow to her eyes. She knew what that meant, and that if Emma felt that Robin, or anyone was a threat to who she considered her mate, she should have not stopped in her attack until they were dead.

As Ruby landed beside Emma, she flicked her tail angrily, her ears pinned back against her head, and her teeth bared in a fierce snarl. "Emma. You…How?" Regina stuttered under the intensely searching look she was receiving from the blonde Sherriff. The only response was a mismatched set of deep growls. The growl of the wolf was directed at Robin, the immediate threat to her mate. The second growl was much lower, coming from deep in the blonde's chest and directed solely at Regina. It did not sound threatening, and the timber sent a shiver through her entire body.

Seeing that neither moved, Regina hoped to take charge of the situation and prevent any disaster if possible. "Emma, you need to leave here. Go finish your run. We will talk tomorrow. Please, go." Regina calmly implored, hoping that she could get through to Emma in her semi-feral state. She knew that most wolves were not in control of their actions during wolfs time, but Emma hadn't changed yet, so she hoped that she was in control enough to listen to her.

With a movement she was becoming all too familiar with, Emma shook her head, and tried to force her body to relax against the instincts that were driving her to kill Robin for attacking her mate. After several deep breaths, she was able to grunt a few words to the group, making Regina's heart hurt upon hearing them.

"This is _my_ territory. We run free here. Do not try to hurt _my mate_ again, or I will kill you." Emma ground out through clenched teeth, hands clenched into tight fists. It was taking all of her control not to lunge at the man, but on some level she knew she did not want to hurt Regina, and killing him would do just that.

Robin made to protest, but was silenced by a wave of Regina's hand, removing his voice. She knew any aggression by him would result in two very upset wolves, and after learning that Emma considered Ruby to be her mate, the likelihood was that none of them would survive if she lost control. That she had even spoken was a testament to her strength, something Regina had always secretly prized about Emma.

"We did not know that this territory was claimed, or that you were with your mate. We only sought to help someone who we believed to be in danger, which we now know you are not. We ask to remain at the camp we have made not far from here, so long as we respect your claim." Ever the diplomatic royal she was trained to be, Regina continued to try to direct the situation to a peaceful outcome. Carefully watching the blonde, Regina was hopeful that Emma would be able to surprise her again by speaking to them.

"Agreed. They do not follow us, but they may stay for now." Emma barked back, never moving her eyes from Regina. She did not hold Emma's gaze, but did not submit either. Her growl rumbled again, this time with approval. "You may do as you wish on our land." Not waiting for a reply, Emma turned from the group and placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder, both disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Shocked at the entire exchange, it was several moments before Regina realized she still had Robin silenced. He was gesturing wildly attempting to garner her attention, but she had remained lost in thought over what she had witnessed. Absently flicking her hand towards the man, she was met with a tirade of angry questions that had obviously continued on from when he did not have his voice.

"-did she do that?! What was that thing with her?! She has magic?! What's this about her mate?! That wolf?! And why did you silence me like that?! I could have taken care of that wolf, and we would all be safer!" Robin continued to shout, arms punctuating the air as he spoke.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Regina began explaining what had just occurred to the irate and oblivious man. "That wasn't just a wolf, but a werewolf. Two, in fact, with the full moon out. That means it wolfs time, when they are at their most powerful and also the most out of control around non-wolves. And yes, Emma has magic, strong magic that isn't controlled even at the best of times. I just avoided our slaughter!"

"What do you mean 'our slaughter?' It was one wolf and Emma. She isn't very powerful, can barely light a candle from what you have told me. And it would have only taken a moment to take care of that wolf." Robin defended, still not realizing what had almost happened.

Rolling her eyes, Regina tried to understand how she was supposed to spend her life with someone this dull and uninformed. "Magic is fuelled by emotion. Emma is clearly affected by the werewolf curse too, given her eyes, and the behaviour of the other **werewolf** that was with her, who just happens to be a young woman from town. It is a full moon tonight, wolf's time, meaning their emotions are at an all-time high, fuelling their rage and power. You attacked Emma's mate, Ruby, who was in wolf form, which for most wolves means she should have killed you or hunted you until moon set at the very least. For whatever reason, she stopped her attack and was able to rein her anger in long enough to listen to me. And as for power, she may be untrained, but she just 'poofed', as she calls it, twice in just a few moments, and had no trouble taking someone with her the second time. There are very few magic practitioners that can successfully do that alone, but to do it with that ease with another person, especially untrained, tells you just how much power she really has. She could have killed all of us here, myself included, with a flick of her wrist, and you think you could have 'taken care of it'?!"

Realizing just how little he really understood by the doubtful look on his face, Regina knew she needed to take some space from Robin before she said something she regretted in her anger. "I'm going home." Raising a hand to stop his reply, she continued. "No, I don't need you to escort me there, I will go on my own. You were given permission to stay where you were, so long as you stay away from them, so I suggest you return to camp and stay there for the rest of the night. Go back to camp and take care of your men and Roland, we will talk tomorrow." Without waiting for another response, Regina took herself home in a cloud of purple, arriving in her bedroom.

Relieved to be back at the mansion, Regina stripped her clothing before heading for the shower. _'Mate. When did that happen?'_ She was still having trouble connecting the Emma she knew with the dangerous and powerful woman she had seen tonight. She knew that Emma had an amazing potential for magic as she had been born with it, but the ease with which she had controlled her power tonight was breathtaking.

'_Mated. To Ruby. At least she gets a happy ending. She, of anyone I cursed, deserves it.'_ Turning the water to the highest temperature she could stand, Regina stepped into the shower and let the water mix with her tears at her own lack of happiness and the frustration of her situation.

Half an hour later, Regina left the shower, as it began to finally run cold, and was no longer soothing. Regina dried her body with one of her favourite towels and then began applying moisturizer, following her normal bedtime routine.

As she slipped into the soft sheets of her bed, she could hear the sounds of what she was sure was Ruby and Emma demonstrating their love in the clearing not far from her home. Trying to ignore the images her mind conjured, Regina fell into a fitful sleep plagued with yellow ringed green eyes and the scent of lilac, rain, and something wild.

* * *

><p>Appearing in the clearing that they had started their evening in, Emma set about gathering the items from the hiding spot. Ruby waited patiently as Emma slung the cloak around her body, the shift back to human not nearly as painful as her earlier shift to her wolf form.<p>

Watching Ruby shift back to her human form, Emma struggled with the arousal that pooled low in her belly. Standing in what little light the moon still offered in the small hours of the morning, Ruby was breathtaking. _'Ours. Our mate.'_ The thoughts had started to blur into one, but Emma was too enthralled to notice. All Emma knew in that moment was that she wanted Ruby more than she had ever wanted anyone before.

Still feeling the power and heavy emotion of their encounter in the woods, Emma crossed to Ruby, locking eyes, silently asking for permission to follow her instincts. She was in control, and would not give in if Ruby did not want to take this step just yet.

Ruby was stunned by the grace with which Emma moved. The power she had unconsciously demonstrated, and the devotion she had shown to her, declaring her as her mate to Robin, it was moving. No one had ever defended her, the way Emma just had. She claimed Storybrook as their territory, marking her an equal in every way in the claim.

Before their encounter with Robin, their run had had been playful and full of joy, something Ruby had never experienced before. Running with her mother's pack had been freeing, but never had she felt bliss in being a wolf before. Emma didn't fear her in any way, she just accepted her, loved her, and wanted her for her, and was willing to tell anyone just that. Ruby was more than ready to allow Emma to show her just how much she was loved and wanted by her.

Pulling Emma flush against her, Ruby began nipping along Emma's jaw, nuzzling at her throat, drawing a growl of desire from the blonde. Tangling her fingers in her in hair, Ruby claimed Emma's lips in passionate, breath-stealing kisses. With a quick tug at the tie holding it in place, Ruby's cape fluttered to the ground, although neither woman paid any attention to its loss. Hands continued to roam, and what minimal clothing Emma wore was quickly torn from her body, their passions rising as the moon was still shining on them, driving their instincts ever higher.

Breathy moans began to fill the night air in the clearing, mixed in with growls of pleasure and want. Still feeling the power in her body, Emma quickly became the aggressor, dominating Ruby's lips, dipping her tongue in to taste her mate's mouth.

Lowering Ruby to the ground with almost reverent care, Emma began exploring every curve and dip of Ruby's body with her lips and tongue, starting with the hollow of her throat. Nipping at the mark she had made, and drawing moans of pleasure from Ruby's lips, Emma moved to taste every inch of deliciously exposed flesh.

Returning to the mating mark as if my a magnetic pull, Emma began to suck heavily, leaving a large reddish- purple mark in the middle, highlighting the mark for the world to see. _'MINE!'_ As her hands continued to explore, tracing down Ruby's ribs and across the toned plane of her stomach, Emma can smell the mixture of both of their arousals, flooding her with more desire than she had ever felt before.

When Emma's fingers slid slowly lower, finally reaching the soft, neatly trimmed curls at the apex of Ruby's thighs, a throaty groan left her lips at the moisture she found there. Unable resist any longer, Emma gently ran her fingers through the soaked folds, swallowing Ruby's gasp in another kiss as she massaged gently.

Unconsciously, Ruby's hips began to cant into Emma's fingers, seeking for the gentle touch to be firmer. Breaking their kiss, and lowering her head, Emma took a hardened nipple into her mouth, sucking hard, before soothing with her tongue, only to bite it a moment later. Not resisting the tug on her hair, Emma followed the direction given, and shifted to Ruby's other breast, bringing her free hand up to the other swollen tip to pinch and roll it gently.

As the volume of the sounds continued to grow, so did the scents in the air, until they overwhelmed both woman. Pulling back from Ruby, Emma's eyes were again glowing yellow, and a rumbling growl had begun to build in both women's chest. "MINE." Was growled simultaneously by both women before they met again in a clash of lips, teeth and tongue, all thought of gentle caresses forgotten.

Harshly, Emma entered Ruby with two fingers to her knuckles in a single smooth motion, earning a barely softened scream of desire from the older wolf. Thrusting deeply, Emma responded with only a growl, setting a punishing pace for her mate. She wanted to claim her completely, to please her as no one else could. _'MINE!'_

Ruby begged, eyes closed, breathing coming only in pants and strangled whimpers. "Ugh, harder… deeper Emma! OH GOD! YES!" She didn't care that they were close enough to town for people to hear them or that they could be found at any moment. Only she and her mate existed in that moment, safe from the world and completely lost in one another.

Pulling completely out of the velvet walls that were tightly gripping her fingers, Emma moved down Ruby's body until she was able to see the glistening folds in front of her, close enough for her to taste. So she does, running the flat of her tongue from her entrance up and around her clit, moaning aloud at the taste of her mate flooding her tongue. Flicking the bundle of nerves with the tip of her tongue, Emma is amazed at the sounds she is pulling from the woman above her. Lapping at every drop of moisture her tongue could seek out, Emma is lost to everything outside of pleasing Ruby. Her mind a haze of Rudy's body and scent, licking, sucking, gently scraping her teeth, and then soothing with her tongue again.

"More. God Emma, more. Please, more. I need MORE." Ruby begged into the night air, unable to say what she needed. She wanted to feel claimed, to feel Emma everywhere, and to feel joined to Emma completely. The moon had yet to set, but she hadn't shifted back when Emma had removed her cape, and her desires were racing through her blood like the need to breath, her wolf's instincts and drives pushing her for more.

Unable to think beyond the haze of her instincts to please her mate, Emma raised her hand to Ruby's temple, and let her magic find what her mate needed in her mind, knowing she was unable to speak properly herself. Feeling her magic wrap around them both, Emma opened her eyes at the new sensations flooding her body, seeing what Ruby had desired at that moment. Rising to her knees, Emma looked down at the fully erect cock now throbbing at the apex of her thighs, the unfamiliar weight bobbing in the air.

Looking back at the panting wolf under her, and scenting the spike of arousal in the air as Ruby took in her new part, Emma felt a surge of arousal at the knowledge she was about to take her mate fully, as she gave herself as much.

Ruby's yellow-ringed eyes darkened, and her tongue darted out to lick at her lips, desire causing more wetness to pool in her cunt. Pulling Emma back to her previous position over her, Ruby captured her lips again in a searing kiss, drawing Emma flush against her.

Shifting between Ruby's legs fully, Emma gripped the base of her new member, and guided the tip of her cock to Ruby's entrance, slowly entering until she was fully sheathed in Ruby's velvet walls, holding still as they both adjusted the intense feeling. Locking her legs around Emma's hips tightly, Ruby began to grind in slow circles, before rock her hips up into Emma, setting a gentle pace.

'_OURS. MINE. OUR MATE. OURS. MINE.' _bounce around in Emma's and Ruby's mind's, spurring their actions on faster, their previous tenderness forgotten. Emma's cries and moans of pleasure joined Ruby's as they began to frantically strain against each other, sweat beginning to trickle down their bodies. "Emma, god, Emma, harder. Fuck, fuck, Emma. Agh, fuck." Ruby cried out, locking her arms around the blonde's neck, holding her tightly as she panted into her ear.

Gripping Ruby's hip in a bruising hold, Emma shifted her hips, and began to thrust into Ruby as hard and fast as she could, need causing all thought to leave her mind. "FUCK." Fell from both their lips at the sensations they were sharing, animalistic growls and screams of pleasure echoing around the clearing.

Feeling the coil in her belly tighten further, Ruby panted into Emma's ear, as she continued to thrust up into her. "Fuck…Emma…Emma…I'm…I'm gon…gonna…CUUUUUMMM" Ruby cut off with a scream, raking her nails down Emma's back, leaving deep scratches that broke the skin in several places. Emma responded by increasing the power and speed of her thrusts, driving Ruby's pleasure to rise higher. _'MINE.' _Ruby raised her head, and instinctively sunk her teeth into Emma neck, marking her as her mate, and completing the bond between them.

Emma, overwhelmed with both pain and pleasure, began to buck wildly into Ruby, her nails breaking the skin where she held her hip. She had been struggling to hold back her own orgasm to come with Ruby, and hearing her scream, while feeling the nails down her back pushed Emma over the edge. Reaching her peak, Emma felt Ruby sink her teeth into her neck, creating a mate mark of her own. Emma's vision went white as her entire world seemed to come to a standstill of ecstasy. The pleasure coursing through her was too much, and she felt her power push out from her with the excess, pleasure radiating throughout her entire being.

Panting as her vision returned, as well as her ability to breath, Emma felt Ruby gently lapping at her neck, helping to clean the wound. They were still wrapped around each other, Emma still inside Ruby, neither wanting to move after such an intense moment. Shaking her head, Emma found that her instincts were almost non-existent, and that she could only feel a pleased contentedness coming from her wolf. She felt like herself again, but beyond joyfully happy.

Moving to be able to see her mate, Emma looked down into Ruby's eyes, seeing vulnerability there that she had never seen before. Ruby was blushing, and had a small smile on her lips, but her eyes played all of her tumultuous emotions like a movie for Emma to read. She wondered how she had ever missed the feelings that she had for Ruby, or the feelings that Ruby clearly had for her.

"You are so beautiful." Emma stated, punctuating her statement with a kiss. "How did I miss this between us? I knew I liked you, but looking into your eyes, holding you now, how did I never realize it was love?"

"Probably the same way I did, not thinking about it, and focussing on everything else that has been going on. I'm still amazed that Belle and I found each other, so missing this isn't that big of a surprise. It's not like I would have thought there was someone else out there for me once I found my True Love, and I know you would never have tried to interfere because I was happy. You are too much of a closet romantic for that." Ruby giggled. She reached up and tucked Emma's hair behind her ear, gently cupping her cheek. "But I don't want you to think for a second that I love you any less than I know you do me. As fast as everything feels, it really hasn't been for me. I've felt this way for a long time, I've just had to try to pretend that I haven't because I thought it was wrong. But it's not, and I am so happy that you feel the same, if that light that went out is any indication. "

"Light?" Emma looked around and noticed that several trees had bark and limbs missing, some of the smaller trees were completely uprooted. Car alarms could be heard going off in the distance.

"It looked like the light from True Love, like when the curse broke, only a lot more intense." Confused that Emma had not seen what she had done, Ruby simply smiled and pecked the woman above her. There would be time for that later, and she wanted to enjoy their afterglow for the time being.

"Oh. Wow. Glad we were in the forest when that happened. And I don't doubt our love Rubes. I can feel it. And hell, we are part of fairy tales, if things happened normally, I would be worried." Chuckling at the look of adoration aimed up at her, Emma felt her heart swell at the knowledge that she finally had the woman she loved in her arms. Cupping Ruby's cheek, Emma leaned down until her lips were almost touching Ruby's. "I love you. You are my mate. My True Love. And that will never change."

"I love you too, my mate." Losing themselves in the kiss, Ruby and Emma began to move against one another, their passion beginning to build again. Knowing she was too tired to continue, Emma broke the kiss with a few small pecks to Ruby's lips, earning her a beaming smile from the brunette.

"Let's go home to our other mate, and see if we can't figure out what to do with your new little 'extra' a bit later, hmm?" Ruby pulled Emma down again into a deep kiss that left them panting, before pushing her back with a wolfish smile. They moved apart slowly, with several kisses and caresses shared before beginning their search for whatever clothing remained. They redressed in whatever clothing hadn't been shredded in their urgency, but not much was left.

"Think you can do that 'poof' thing again and get us back to our room? I don't fancy giving the town a show of my mate's body tonight." Ruby chuckled. "This sight is solely for Belle and I, for now."

"Anything for you." Smiling, Emma wrapped Ruby in her arms, and kissed her soundly, allowing her power to swirl around her as she sent them back to their sleeping mate.

* * *

><p>Across town in the forest, Robin and his men sat around the fire, discussing the encounter with the wolf and the Sherriff, and how they would protect the town from its savagery if she refused to. When the wave of power hit them, they were knocked to the floor of the forest, their fire was put out, and the lines of their tents snapping from the branches they were tied to.<p>

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Robin yelled into the dark forest around him, searching blindly around the dark forest for the source of the danger. Leaving his men to scramble to restart the fires, he knew that something big had happened, and it would change everything. "Get those fires up and get camp remade, NOW!" He would not be caught unprepared again.

* * *

><p>As the wave rocked through her home, Regina was awoken to the sound of car alarms blaring up and down the street. She could feel the power that had been released; it was more powerful than the True Love magic that she had witnessed in the past. This felt wild, almost dangerous, but familiar at the same time.<p>

Leaving her home, she walked to her front yard, looking at the homes of the neighbours up and down her street. Every home had damage, ranging windows being broken, to shutters blown off, trees and bushes uprooted, and fences knocked down. Following the direction the past of damage took, it seemed to point to an area in the woods behind their homes as the course. _'What could have caused this much damage?_' Regina wondered. True Love magic was powerful, but never violent in its release. _'It's almost like it was a shockwave. All these properties damaged and trees downed everywhere... My tree!' _

Rushing to the back of her home in a panic, Regina was relieved to see that her tree was untouched. When the council took power after the curse had broken, she moved her tree to her yard and placed a barrier spell around it to ensure its safety. Looking around, Regina saw that nothing on her property was out of place, and in fact, her tree seemed fuller, with more leaves and fruit than it had ever had before.

Looking to the properties on either side, of her own, she could see the devastation that had occurred to the forest, and to her neighbours. _'What the hell happened out there?!'_


	8. Chapter 8

As the smoke dissipated around them, Ruby and Emma found themselves back in the room at Granny's where they had left Belle. They had expected to return to find her sleeping, but Belle was not in the bed. The covers were thrown back, half on the floor, along with the pillows, as if she had gotten up in a rush. Both immediately began scenting the air, looking for their mate, worried that something had happened.

Hearing the women return, Belle appeared from the bathroom with sleep mussed hair, and quickly ran over to pull Emma and Ruby into an embrace. Holding her tightly, both women shared a look of concern at the ferocity of Belles grip. "Are you ok?" Belle asked, pulling back slightly. "Were you caught in the wave? Were you hurt?"

Ruby was the first to react. "We're fine. We went for a run in the woods, had a little trouble with Robin, and then…um… spent some time together before we poofed back here. The wave reached all the way here?"

"Emma, you have been getting calls coming in from all over town. There was an energy blast that hit us and caused a lot of damage and panic. It's worse closer to the northern part of town. I was so worried." Belle handed Emma her phone with a sheepish smile, before pulling both women back in again for another tight hug. "Um, a few people asked when I started working for the Sheriff's Department, by the way. I said I was volunteering for the night. I'm sorry for answering your phone without permission, and I did not know how to explain that I had it with me, but you weren't here."

"Belle, I don't mind that you answered my phone, you are my mate. You don't have to be shy about answering my phone or anything when it comes to our relationship. And David is supposed to be covering for me tonight. I should have forwarded the calls to him from the station, but I forgot, so if anyone has questions, they can address it to me." Emma was suddenly unsure, forgetting about the "blast" the town had experienced. She had assumed that Belle and Ruby would not want to hide their relationship with her, as she felt absolutely no shame with being with them. But it may not be so easy for them, and she realized they may want to keep things quiet for the time being. The thought hurt her heart, but she also knew that she wouldn't push them if they weren't ready to be open. "I didn't plan to hide things from the town, or anyone, with regards to our relationship, but I know that this is all very sudden, and neither of you may be ready. I won't push if you want to keep things between us for now."

Sharing a quick look with Belle, Ruby spoke up first. "I don't want to hide anything because there is nothing to be ashamed of. I won't speak for Belle, but I am proud that you are both my mates, and screw 'em if they don't like it. I'm happy, and they can deal with it."

"I feel very much the same way. Screw 'em. These are our lives, and our relationship. Its none of their business who we love." Belle added with a small laugh, before pulling Emma in for a gentle kiss, and repeating the same with Ruby.

Emma couldn't contain the smile that overtook her face at her mates reassuring her about her place with them. _'This is going to be a hell of a shock to everyone.' _She sent a text to David, letting him know that she was back at the inn, and would be staying there for the night, and that she would see him later in the day to go over the reports from tonight. She was not ready to discuss everything with him, and was anxious about how he would react.

David quickly replied that he had everything under control and would call her if he needed extra back up, and that he hoped she felt better. Relieved that she would not have to leave her mates for the night, Emma returned to the bed where Belle and Ruby had curled up under the covers, pulling Ruby under her arm to cuddle against her chest. Slipping in on the other side, Belle tangled her fingers with Ruby's on Emma's toned stomach with a shy smile. "So you had some trouble with Robin Hood? What happened?" Belle asked as her hair tickled Emma's.

"Well, he may or may not have tried to shoot me with an arrow for trying to eat Emma in a non-fun way." Ruby explained sheepishly. "We were playing around, and someone decided to scream and giggle like a girl, which he seemed to think meant she needed to be saved from the Big Bad Wolf."

"Yeah, well he was certainly put in his place, now wasn't he? No one goes after my mate, or makes them feel like less than the amazing person that they are without deal with me." Emma added with a smirk and a wink. "And besides, it's not like I hurt him. Regina stopped me before I completely lost it on him."

"Wait, what?!" Belle looked shocked at everything her mates were bantering about as if it were a normal occurrence. Taking a deep breath, Belle reminded herself that they were both here, safe and unharmed, and that they would not be joking like this if anything too serious had happened. "Robin attacked you and Regina stopped you from retaliating while the moon was out?! Start at the beginning."

As the women had relayed the story, Belle interrupted frequently with questions for both women as though the answers were vitally important, although neither could figure out what had her curiosity captivated.

"So she only said 'No', and you stopped? Just like that?" Both women nodded in response, not understanding the issue. "And you said that you told her she could do whatever she wanted on 'our land'? Do you know what this could mean?" Belle had jumped from the bed and begun to pace back and forth across the room, not noticing that she was still nude from her earlier nap. Her mates certainly did though; and they were both only half listening to her questions, too distracted by watching her body to pay close attention.

"Uh, that I don't like Robin, and Regina is still allowed to do whatever she wants in town, like she always has?" Emma replied distractedly.

Looking back at both of her mates, Belle realized that they both were watching her with hungry gazes, their eyes firmly yellow. "Hey. Eyes up here ladies, or neither of you will be getting as much as a kiss for the next week!" Belle stated, snapping her fingers, and placing her hands on her hips.

"Focus, Emma. You didn't do something because you thought it would upset Regina, even though the full moon was out, and you made sure to tell her she had total freedom in our territory, without her asking. Do you know what that could mean?!" Clapping excitedly, Belle waited for her mates to bring their attention back to her face, before pointing out more the possibility.

"Uh… umm… Sorry, but I's still not seeing what the big deal is. Can you break it down for me a little more? I'm having some trouble thinking right now." Emma sheepishly shrugged and shared a confused look with Ruby, who nodded that she was having the same trouble.

"Alright, eyes off the breasts and pay attention. You shouldn't be able to stop like that when someone attacks our mate. You should have been in a blind rage, at least until the moon set, but even then you would still be supremely angry and likely would have attacked him, maybe not killed him as your strength would have waned slightly, but you should have still done a great deal of damage to the threat. Instead, one word brought you up short. Ruby has only ever responded to me like that, and now she would for you as well. You also openly invited her onto our territory, without her asking, which means you trust her implicitly, which only happens for one type of person to a wolf," Belle explained gently, gesturing towards the pair on the bed. She didn't want to insult her mates, but she wanted to lead them to the obvious conclusion, and needed them to stop ogling her long enough to do it.

Ruby's eyes lit with understanding first, before her jaw dropped comically. "SERIOUSLY?! HER?!"

Shaking her head, Belle ignored Ruby's shocked outburst and focussed on Emma's confused frown. She walked slowly over to Emma, straddling her hips, and wrapping her arms around her neck. It was a very intimate position, more so than any they had been in yet, but it felt natural. "Sweetie, I love you, but you would have to be blind to have never seen the way you two are around each other. The fighting, the bickering, the constant competition. Hell, look at the magic you have been able to perform together. If the sexual tension between you two got any thicker, even Snow would be able to see it. Regina, who you have had strong feelings for since the day you met, might be our other mate. And given the types of interactions we have all had with her in the past, it wouldn't be all that surprising."

Emma's mind was blank. After hearing Belle say 'Regina' and 'mate' in the same sentence, her brain froze, unable to process anything for several minutes. Belle took Ruby's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to reassure her that although she was shocked at the possibility, there was nothing to worry about yet.

Seeing how distressed their mate was, both Ruby and Belle became worried that this final piece of information may have finally been too much for the Sherriff. Gently pushing her shoulders, Belle and Ruby laid Emma back on the bed, snuggling into her sides again to wait for her to process all of the overwhelming information she had had thrown at her over the last 24 hours. Werewolf curses, another prophesy, mates. Mates for the person who was chronically scared of having the other shoe drop! And now the person she has had the most turbulent relationship with, possibly ever, may be the last piece of the puzzle her new life was becoming. A life that she was quickly becoming fond of, if the relaxed acceptance of her physical closeness was any indication.

After about 20 minutes of cuddling together, Emma took in a deep breath, and let it out with a low groan, before addressing the other women. "That makes just too much sense." Unconsciously, Emma began stroking her fingers lightly up and down Belle's back as she continued, "So, what else does this prophesy say. I'm guessing that it won't be as simple as sending out a mass text to all the wolves to come live… wherever we are supposed to live or whatever? You said I am supposed to refound some kingdom?"

"The Kingdom of Wolves is in the Enchanted Forest. It is supposed to be one of the ancient ruins hidden in the Endless Forest, but no one living has ever seen it, as far as I know." Ruby supplied. "No one has seen it and found their way back out of the Endless Forest at least, so, we don't really know if it's there. And there aren't a lot of wolves left in the old world, and I haven't met any here either. The one other pack I have met was my mother's. And that was a long time ago"

Knowing how hard it was for Ruby to talk about her mother, Emma wrapped her arm more tightly around her waist, pulling her close so she was snuggled into her side, her head resting on the shoulder opposite from Belle. "Does Granny know any other packs?"

"No, Granny doesn't know of any other wolves or packs. We are almost extinct."

"Well, on the plus side, even if there aren't a lot of other wolves right now, we can always bite people who want to be wolves, right? I mean, as long as they are people who won't abuse it." Ruby flashed a reluctant smile, and the other women knew it was time to change the subject." Well, we aren't even in the Enchanted Forest, and don't have a way to get there; so, we likely won't have to worry about that for a while yet. We can talk about it another time, and who knows, maybe there will be lots of other wolves there by the time we end up back there. Besides, I'm not that interested in leaving cell phones and indoor plumbing anytime soon, are you?" Emma chuckled, squeezing both women briefly. "So, what else does it say? Slay another dragon? Break another curse? What baddie do we have to defeat now to get our Happy Ending or Ever After or whatever?"

"Basically, you would have to fight for the territory, and drive out those who seek to 'unjustly harm the innocent' or something like that. It's been a long time since Granny told me. Belle, do you remember any of the specifics?" Turning to the woman who seemed to be dozing off on Emma's chest, Ruby and Emma shared a small laugh.

"Mmm…Sorry, what were we talking about?" Belle mumbled through a yawn.

Kissing her head, Emma smiled. "We were talking about going to sleep for a few hours, since we have all had a very long night. We can talk about everything else tomorrow. Let's just get some rest."

Snuggling further into Emma, and draping an arm around Belle's waist, Ruby yawned and started to drift off to sleep. Feeling warm and content, Emma noticed that both she and Ruby were still partially clothed from their run earlier, and that they were all lying on top of the covers. Waving her hand lazily behind Belle's back, Emma's magic removed their clothing, and placed them all under the soft blankets of the familiar bed. Placing a gentle kiss to the crown of each of their heads, Emma relaxed as sleep claimed her as well. _'Sleep well my mates. We will keep you safe.'_

* * *

><p>"Ok, so you are stating that you didn't have anything to do with the damages that occurred tonight? Are you sure that is the statement you wish to make?" David asked again, clearly not believing the answer he had been given several times already.<p>

"Yes, Shepherd. As I stated before, I was asleep when whatever it was happened, and I ran out into the street like everyone else. I have no idea why there is no damage to my property, and I do not know what caused this, nor was I involved with anything to do with it." Throwing her hands in the air, Regina crossed her arms, and shot him her trademark glare. "Why is it so hard to believe that I had nothing to do with this?"

"Because you are the only one who doesn't have any damage to their property, and you are the Evil Queen! It's likely all part of some plan you have concocted to finally win. But good always wins!" David growled back, frustrated that he couldn't simply arrest her. Ever since the last time he had tried, Emma was adamant that if he did not follow proper procedure, with _EVERYONE_, then she would be forced to strip him of his position and put him in jail instead, for abuse of power no less. "If you had something to do with this, I will find out, and you will finally be arrested and put in a magical cell, just like Gold was before the curse."

"I had nothing to do with this, Shepherd. So, why don't you try doing some real police work, and stop just blindly accusing me. Good night!" Slamming the door in his face was satisfying, although having to defend herself constantly was becoming tiresome. She would have to talk to Emma again about his behaviour. _'Emma.'_ The thought brought the Sherriff to the front of her mind again. _'Mated and getting her happily ever after. She probably won't have time for much else anymore.'_

Releasing a deep sigh, Regina ignored the tightness in her chest and poured herself glass of cider. Hastily downing the drink in one mouthful, Regina returned to bed, trying to ignore the loneliness that grew as she thought of Emma no longer being part of her life.


	9. Chapter 9

Late the next morning, Belle woke wrapped in strong, warm arms, a leg strewn over hers, and her face half covered in messy blonde curls. She was being held from behind by the sheriff, and the comfort of the sensation was not lost on her. _'This is almost the best way to awake, ever._'

Judging by the amount of light coming through the window, Belle guessed that it was sometime around midday, and Ruby would have likely been awoken to open the diner with her grandmother. Snuggling back into Emma, Belle was surrounded by Emma's warmth and scent, and she was content to spend the day exactly where she was.

In her sleep, Emma pulled Belle in tighter to her body and nuzzled into Belle's neck, placing a sleepy kiss on her new mating mark, which sent a shiver down Belle's spine, her arousal instantly awoken. Picking up the scent of her arousal, Emma, being only barely awake, began to grind her hips into Belle, drawing a gasp of pleasure from her lips.

Emma traced her hand down the flat plane of Belle's stomach, tickling lightly as she caressed the soft skin she found. As Belle's fingers tightened on Emma's arm, her nails began to dig in, the slight pain, mixed with pleasure rousing Emma fully from her sleep. Continuing down to lightly cup her heated center, Emma began to nip and suck at the mating mark that was causing such intense responses from her mate. With a responding groan, Belle tipped her head to the side, giving Emma more access to her neck while she relished the sensations running through her body.

As her mate's panting breath grew louder, Emma could feel her own pulse thundering loudly in her ears, and she felt her new instincts beginning to overwhelm her, as they had the night before. "Belle, if you aren't completely sure, we need to slow this down. I'm trying to fight my instincts, but it's really hard not to claim you. I want you so badly right now, but I want our first time to be special, for us, not driven by my wolf's need to be with you." The wolf growled in Emma's head, but she fought to ignore it, wanting Belle to want her in return first. _'She is OURS. Claim her. Please her.'_

Belle could hear the internal struggle Emma was experiencing, but she knew she wanted Emma just as much as Emma wanted her. "Baby, I know _exactly_ what I'm doing, what I want, and who I want, so don't you dare stop now." Belle punctuated her statement with a particularly hard grind back into Emma, and finally noticed the extra appendage between her mate's legs. Snaking a hand behind her, she gripped Emma's hard length firmly, making the blonde gasp at the heightened sensations. "What do we have here? I take it this is from your time with Ruby last night?" Squeezing firmly, Belle grinned mischievously at Emma's whimpers of pleasure, before gripping the base and beginning to tug gently when she wasn't immediately answered.

"Y-yes. Sh-she wasn't able to t-tell me pro-properly what she wa-wanted, so I let my ma-magic figure it out." Emma stuttered out, unable to stop her hips from thrusting forward into Belle's grip. She knew the skin where she was gripping Belle's hip would likely be bruised from her tight hold, but as with Ruby the previous evening, she was unable to release her grip.

"Mmmm, Ruby does enjoy being thoroughly fucked. Hard and deep." Her voice dropping to a deep, sultry register that Emma had never thought Belle capable of, her crass words shot desire straight to Emma's core. Belle's hand, still firm and confident, began to slowly pump the full length, pulling another whimper from Emma. "She loves when I use our strap-on to fuck her. I wonder if you will like it too. Have you thought about being pinned under me, while I am fucking you just as hard as you fucked Ruby last night? Would you like that Sherriff? You on your hands a knees while my hips slap into yours, hard enough to bruise?"

The mental image of being on her hands and knees in front of Belle, her hair pulled in her lover's fist, and being rocked by the powerful thrusts of the former princess' hips, had Emma's magical cock twitching in Belle's hand, as her restraint wore thread-bare. Emma's panting breath started to come out in harsh gasps, the level of arousal surging through her body almost too much.

"I think you would love it, being fucked like that. I think I could make you scream for me. I know hearing you scream my name just as you come would have me dripping wet for you." Belle continued her rhythmic pumping as she added, "Just like I am now."

"I-I think, you would enjoy being under me more!" Yanking Belle around to face her, bodies pressed flush against one another, Emma captured her lips in a bruising clash of teeth. _"MINE!"_ both her inner wolf and her body roared at the same time. Her hands found Belle's hips again before wandering quickly up to her breasts. Kneading them roughly, Emma shifted so Belle was pinned beneath her on the bed, still battling her instincts to not push Belle for more than she was ready for.

Belle's legs immediately circled Emma's waist, and her arms wrapped around her neck, while her fingers tangled in blonde hair. With a sharp tug, Belle broke their kiss, locking eyes with Emma, demanding exactly what she wanted from her new mate. "Fuck me."

At the desire Belle was demonstrating, Emma let out a deep growl of arousal and warning, challenging Belle to either submit, or dominate their encounter, if she could. A brief flicker of yellow passed over Belle's eyes, before she lowered her gaze and bared her throat, submitting to Emma. As instinct overtook the last of Emma's mind, she realized that she could hurt Belle in their current position if things got too heated. She needed to move Belle away from her teeth, and keep some distance between them, or her new strength could injure her mate unintentionally. _'Claim her. Please her.'_

Emma pulled back, easily breaking Belle's hold, and rolled her onto her stomach, before pulling Belle to her knees roughly. Inhaling deeply, Emma's eyes again began to glow, as she caressed Belle's back and thighs. "As you wish, my mate." Ducking her head, Emma pressed her tongue deeply into the wetness she found at the apex of Belle's legs. A sharp gasp left Belle's mouth as she arched her back further to allow Emma better access in their current position. Bucking back onto Emma's probing tongue, Belle reached back to tangle her fingers in golden locks once again.

Lapping at the sweet, yet tangy taste of her mate, a rumbling growl of approval left Emma's mouth making Belle shudder at the vibrations. Guiding Emma to her clit, Belle tugged Emma's hair again, holding her exactly where she needed her to be. With rough, flat tongued strokes over her clit, Emma pushed Belle quickly towards her peak. Moving back to Belle's entrance, Emma thrust her tongue as deeply as it would go, curling her tongue to gather every drop of wetness she could pull from her amazingly aroused mate.

As Belle's walls began to tighten and flutter around her tongue, Emma quickly pulled back, untangling Belle's fingers from her hair, and gently blew on Belle's overheated sex. Ignoring the whimper from the loss of contact and the cool air, Emma took hold of her cock at the base and lined up the tip with Belle's entrance before she roughly thrust completely inside in one movement.

A brief yelp escaped Belle's lips as she tossed her head back in pleasure and surprise at the sudden intrusion. Holding their position for a moment, Emma allowed Belle to adjust to the size of her. As Belle began to move her hips, Emma's instincts again claimed her. Knowing that Belle was ready, Emma's hand immediately found purchase in the auburn mane, and pulled her back fully into Emma's hips with a rough thrust.

_"MINE!"_ the wolf and woman cried again in unison, as Emma began thrusting shallow but hard thrusts into her mate. _'MINE. OURS. MINE. MINE. MINE.'_

"YOURS!" came the immediately screamed reply from Belle, followed by mewls of pleasure at the rough treatment. "YOURS EMMA! YOURS! YOURS! YOURS! FUCK! FUCK! YOURS!"

Quickly snaking her hand around Belle's body, Emma began to frantically rub tight circles around her mate's hardened nub, causing Belle to shake as she fought the tightly winding coil of pleasure building in her groin. "Come with me, mate." Barely out of Emma's mouth, a keening scream was ripped from Belle's throat.

"EMMMAAAAA!"

Feeling her mate's inner walls clamp tightly around her cock, Emma plunged herself in roughly, driving Belle's pleasure higher as her scream cut off to silent suddenly, the pleasure too much for her body. Thrusting deeply a final time, Emma howled out viscously as she came, pulling back on Belle's hair to keep herself fully buried in her mate, both of their bodies tight as bow strings.

As they regained their breaths, gulping large lungful's of air, both women slumped forward, too spent and content to move. Lazily kissing Belle's back and neck, and tenderly nuzzling the mating mark again, Emma lazily waved her hand, her magic briefly flowing over her body, returning it back to her neatly trimmed strip of hair and visibly glistening folds.

"Wow." The lazy remark from Belle, accompanied by an equally lazy grin, was panted into the bed below them. Shifting off Belle and pulling her gently into her side, Emma tucked a lock of hair behind Belle's ear, before kissing her tenderly on her nose. "Emma, that was incredible." Belle, snuggling into her mate's side, rested her head on the shoulder she had claimed the night before as a pillow.

"Yeah… wow." Emma replied back with an equally lazy grin, tossing her head back on the pillow, unable to open her eyes at the moment. "I think we may have been a little loud though." Emma knew she should have cared, but for now, all she could do was grin.

* * *

><p>Hearing the noise from the rooms attached to the back of the diner, Ruby turned to the front of the diner as the bell chimed again. <em>'Could this place get any more packed today?!' <em>Several of the men seated at the counter were visibly aroused, and many of the patrons were blushing at the obvious activities going on upstairs. Granny had turned the radio up loud enough that Ruby couldn't hear the conversations that were going on around, but she didn't need to hear them to know what they were talking about. Looking up, Ruby saw that the new arrival was none other than Snow herself, who stood with her mouth hanging open and doing a magnificent fish impression in the doorway. After a moment, Snow closed her mouth, and a familiar glint began to form in her eyes. "Shit."

Knowing that the woman would likely charge up to the room in some attempt to "save" her daughter, Ruby quickly spoke over the order window to Granny. "Snow is going to lose it in about 2 seconds. Get everyone out of here, stall her, and I will get Emma and Belle presentable. I have a feeling that this could get really messy, really fast."

Frowning at having to close her diner for a second time in as many days, Granny looked at the White Queen, and saw the anger that was forming on her face. Nodding, she began shooing her customers out for the second time in as many days. _'Pups will be working this off for ages.'_

At the loudest cry yet from upstairs, the sounds suddenly cut off, much to Granny's relief. "Your Majesty. Could I interest you in a cup of cocoa?"

* * *

><p>As Belle and Emma were dozing off, the door to the room was flung open, and a wide eyed Ruby rushed into the room, quickly locking the door behind her. "You two sure as hell picked a great time to be that loud! It was the lunch rush, and the entire diner heard you! Half the town is talking about it. And to top it off, your mother is down there right now, and looks ready to kill whoever you are up here with!"<p>

"SHIT!" Both women immediately scrambled out of bed, looking around frantically, but neither was able to find any clothing in the room. _'Magic._' Calming slightly as the thought registered in her mind, Emma flicked her wrist in the now familiar gesture, clothing both herself and Belle.

Ruby, who had been watching both women move about the room naked, was relieved that they were once again clothed, her eyes reverting from their yellow glow. _'Just being in this room right now is torture. GOD they smell GOOD!'_ Ruby closed her eyes, attempting to breathe deeply, while ignoring the lingering scent of sex in the air as her wolf senses were in overdrive. Unable to resist, Ruby moved to the women who were now calm. Moving to Emma first, Ruby pulled her into a deep, rough kiss, moulding her body to Emma's as she nipped at the woman's lips, bowing her own back as Emma's hands wrapped around her. Breaking the kiss, she immediately turned and pulled Belle in for the same, bowing the slightly shorter girl back gently. "Don't you ever do that to me again. I almost came just from the sounds you were making, let alone the scent in this room. Jesus! Now I need a change of clothes." She wasn't angry or jealous, just incredibly aroused at the thought of her mates in bed together, their scents coating each other.

Waving her hand again, Emma smirked as she removed Ruby's clothing, leaving her bare before them. Ruby's nipples had peaked immediate at the temperature change, and Emma's eyes turned yellow as her tongue peaked out to wet her lips at the sight. Her eyes still glowing, Emma looked Ruby over with heated intensity, as did Belle, both hungry for their mate. Emma absently noted that the marks her fingers had left the previous night had already healed, leaving Ruby's creamy skin as flawless as ever.

"Unless you want to have your mother storm in here thinking we are killing you, you better poof me back some clothes. I won't be held responsible for traumatizing your mother when she catches us fucking you into a screaming oblivion" Ruby said, her eyes faintly glowing. With a pout, Emma allowed her magic to re-clothe Ruby, Belle whining at the now covered flesh of her love.

"We were really that loud?" Belle asked timidly, blushing deeply at the thought of a full diner hearing them. She hadn't meant to get so carried away, they had just become lost in the moment.

The shy reaction had Emma shaking her head in amusement after witnessing the dirty-talking vixen she had just revealed in her mate. _'The quiet ones always were the best in be.'_ Emma smiled at the thought and couldn't wait to see just what else the former princess was capable of.

"I'm honestly surprised you still have a voice after that show." Ruby winked at them with a wolfish grin. "Granny had to turn the radio up, twice, and it still didn't cover everything, especially that ending."

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Emma slipped an arm around Belle's waist, kissing her on the temple. Shaking her head at what Ruby new to be Emma's ego inflating, she continued. "We should really get downstairs and calm Snow down ASAP. I don't know how Granny is stalling her, but I don't think she will last much longer. After you talk to Snow, Granny and I will make you both something to eat. I'm sure you've both worked up an appetite."

Sharing an easy smile, all three women left the room, headed for what they were sure would be the most awkward breakfast conversation ever.

* * *

><p>Still in place where Ruby had last seen her, Snow looked ready to tear into whoever walked through the door next. When the trio entered the room a few minutes later, Snow suddenly turned very purple in the face when she saw the happy smiles they were all wearing, noticing Ruby and Emma holding hands while Belle held Emma's arm. "What the HELL is going on here?!"<p>

"Um, we are coming down for breakfast and to see you?" was Emma's mumbled reply. She could smell the fury rolling off of Snow, the woman was practically vibrating with anger. This was not how she had wanted Snow to find out at all.

"You have 3 seconds to start explaining yourself, young lady. Where have you been all night?! And why are you holding Ruby's hand?! And what the hell was all that YELLING?!"

Ignoring her clearly upset mother, Emma turned to Granny, an innocent smile on her face. "Good morning Granny. I hope we haven't been too much trouble this morning. Do you think I could trouble your for some bacon and eggs please? I am starving this morning." Winking at the older woman, Emma continued in a cheeky tone. "Oh, and if there is any more of those steaks from last night, could I please have some of that too?"

Snow sputtered at the attitude her daughter was giving her, which in turn increased her anger even further. Belle noted that Snow's eye had begun to twitch, and knew that Emma's behaviour was only going to further incite her mother. Squeezing Emma's arm, she offered an apologetic smile, and moved to take Ruby's free hand. "Maybe we should help Granny with that breakfast love." It wasn't phrased as a question, and Ruby understood immediately.

"Sure babe, let's go help her out." Ruby had seen Snow angry before, but she had never seen the White Queen look so malevolent before. Emma leaned over and gave Ruby a chaste kiss, quickly repeating it with Belle. After sharing a quick, she leaned in and whispered for only them to hear. "Go. I'll be fine. She's just upset because it's a shock."

"I'm just going to make you some cocoa, and I will be right in to help." Ruby hoped that some privacy would help calm the tension in the air, but also wanted to keep an eye on Snow for as long as possible, her instincts warning her that something was about to happen.

Turning to follow Granny, Belle took a quick glance back, and wondered just how badly Snow was going to take the news, and if she should have stayed to give Emma the added support.

* * *

><p>In the dining room, Snow looked very much the color of her name sake. Looking from Emma to Ruby to the now closed kitchen door and back, she seemed to be unable to understand what she had just witnessed transpire between the three women. <em>'It can't be what it looks like.'<em>

"Have a seat, Snow. There are some things you and I need to discuss." Emma gestured to a nearby table, pulling out a seat for Snow, before taking the opposite for herself. She wasn't sure how Snow would react, but she had dealt with foster parents that had the same look in their eyes, and knew distance wouldn't necessarily be a bad idea right now.

Snow took the offered seat at the closest table, her eye continuing to twitch in time with her heartbeat. Emma waited silently while Ruby made their drinks, knowing that Snow would not speak until they were alone again. When Ruby placed the finished drinks in front of her mate and her long-time friend, perfect cocoa with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, Emma smiled at the attempt of comfort Ruby offered.

"Thanks babe. We will be done in a few minutes, and I will get the breakfast dishes after we eat." Emma said, leaning up for another chaste kiss. Neither woman missed the shocked gasp coming from the other side of the table.

* * *

><p>Pulling pans from the wall as Granny asked for them, Belle became lost in her own thoughts. Although she had accepted that they were all mated, she hadn't had time to think about the full scope of their new relationship, and how it would affect their families and friends. She and Ruby had been together exclusively for a year, since Blue had confirmed their true love, but they had only been out to the town for a few months.<p>

There had been a couple of negative reactions when they had been out in public at first, but overall, no one had cared that she and Ruby were together. Her own father had stopped speaking to her when he had found out, after saying he would rather see her with Rumplestiltskin than with another woman, especially a wolf.

Although she had no problem with the physical element of their relationship or their private affection in what she had quickly dubbed "their room" at the inn, Belle did not realize that things would be progressing so quickly in public, at least in front of Snow. She did not know Snow very well, and even though she had never publicly said anything against her relationship with Ruby, Belle would always notice an uncomfortable look on the woman's face when she and Ruby were affectionate in public. Snow seemed to be unable to hide her displeasure, even if it was as simple as holding hands.

Emma had been a great supporter, offering heartfelt congratulations, and always there to support them together and separately with anything that had come up. She had been so thankful that she had grown to know Emma before they had found out, and that they had a deep level of friendship to base things on now.

For Emma's sake, she hoped that Snow would be open-minded, even though she had a feeling that this day would not end well for Emma. But Belle wouldn't hide her relationship with her mates. "Screw 'em all," she whispered with a smirk, mirroring their agreement from the previous evening.

* * *

><p>Making her way back to the kitchen, to leave mother and daughter alone to talk, Ruby tried to think back to how Snow reacted when she told her that she and Belle were together. <em>'What about Peter?'<em> had been her only question, followed by a tight lipped congratulation. It had seemed that Snow had expected Ruby to remain alone forever after the accident, and now was no different.

She knew that Snow did not necessarily approve of homosexuality, (she was royalty, after all), but Ruby didn't think that she would be so obviously upset by the news of Belle being confirmed as her True Love. They had grown further apart since then, no longer spending time together or going out as they had during the curse. It seemed that it was only during public meetings and parties that their paths would cross outside of her being a waitress at the diner. It had broken her heart. But her friendship with Emma had strengthened where her relationship with Snow had weakened, and Ruby had been glad that she had been able to grow closer to Emma, even if it had not been physically.

She knew that she was lucky that wolves typically did not have an issue with same-sex relationships, just as their natural animal counterparts did not either. Granny had simply accepted the news as if she had stated that it was sunny out, and told her to clear table 5, as was her way.

In the Enchanted Forest, it was generally accepted among the commoners that love was love, regardless of gender, although there were some biases based in religion. Among the royals however, it was a very taboo subject. It was a strictly hetero-only club, and if you happened to swing that way, you kept it very, very quiet. _'Heirs had to be born, right?'_

Shuddering at the thought, Ruby realized that Snow never really grew up around that kind of acceptance, and even during her time running from the Queen, she was still very judgmental about what she considered right and wrong, normal and abnormal. Everything was all very black and white for her.

Walking through the kitchen door, Ruby knew she may very well lose her friend over this, if she was unaccepting of their relationship. It was very new, but Ruby knew she loved Emma long before, and having the mark from the prophesy only solidified that her love was not misplaced. But Ruby would choose her mates over Snow any day, and knew that Belle and Emma would both do the same, if it came down to it. "Screw 'em all if they can't accept it."

* * *

><p>Not waiting for Snow to start the conversation, Emma jumped right into a brief, but full explanation in a single rushed breath. Better to get it out there in one go and then deal with the fallout for everything all at once. "I was accidentally bitten the other night by Ruby and I'm turning into a werewolf. Belle is too, but that was on purpose, because Ruby and I both bit her. Because she asked us to, I mean. And I'm going to be the White Wolf from some other prophecy, there is a mark on my ribs that matches the one from the prophesy that showed up after I was bitten. Oh, and I am mated to both Ruby and Belle, that's part of it too. And according to the prophecy, we have another mate too, but we aren't 100% sure who she is yet. We may know who she is after I almost killed Robin Hood last night for trying to shoot Ruby when we went running together, but I want to figure that out for sure before I say anything because that's a really big thing to drop on someone. Also, the magical explosion was kind of my fault, and yeah, I'm gay. I think that's everything. Any questions?"<p>

Snow inhaled sharply, and then stopped breathing, holding her breath for several seconds, her cheeks turning a deep pink before she began panting, her eye twitching faster with each breath. She was openly glaring at her daughter, but seemed to be unable to speak.

Locking eyes with her clearly overwhelmed mother, Emma took a slow sip of her drink, cocked an eyebrow and said the first thing to come to mind with a light smirk. "Ok then. So how was your night?"


	10. Chapter 10

"What in God name are you talking about?! Mates? Almost killing Robin? What is going on, Emma? Have you lost your mind?" Snow had finally thawed, immediately unleashing a stream of continuous questions at her daughter. "And how is it that you are '_mates_' with two people who supposedly share true love, huh? This is absurd." Snow didn't bother trying to hide her doubt, letting the disdain she felt drip from every word of her last statement.

"Snow, I know this is a lot to take in, believe me, and I will gladly explain everything, but not until after I ask you a question or two of my own. The answers are very important, so remember, I will know if you are lying." Waiting for an affirmative nod from the confused woman she had started to accept as family, Emma continued. "From everything I said, the biggest reaction that you had was regarding Ruby and Belle's relationship, and the fact that they share True Love. Why does that bother you so much?"

Scoffing, Snow crossed her arms petulantly, sulking as only a princess could. "Because they are both women, Emma. True love can only be shared between a man and a woman, the way God intended. Peter was Ruby's True Love, and as disgusting as it is, Gold is Belle's. Just because they want to carry on with this… this… whatever this is, doesn't make it right. Finding comfort in your friends is one thing, but their relationship is just unnatural." The clear look of revulsion on her face left no room for doubt as to where her mother stood on homosexuality, and it was everything Emma had ever feared. "And as for turning into a Werewolf, I am sure we can figure out a way to break that curse. Ugh, I can't believe she would try and do this!"

"First, Belle was under several spells and curses for her to be with that bastard. You can't call what happened with Gold love! Second, I don't want it to be broken. I want to be a wolf, to run with my mates. And who would do what? What are you talking about?!" Emma asked, already knowing the answer, but needing to hear it spoken to confirm her suspicions.

"RUBY. Who else could have bitten you? I mean, I know she and Belle have been having their problems, which isn't all that surprising, given the '_relationship_' they are in, but to try and drag you down with them, it's a new low even for her."

_'She DARES to talk of our mates in this way?! She needs to learn her place. This is our territory, not hers, and they are our MATES, our FAMILY. OURS!' _As the thoughts snarled through her mind, Emma could feel her control slipping slightly as her anger increased, and a low growl began building in her chest.

"Ruby did bite me, but it wasn't intentional. It was an accident, and beyond that, it was part of a prophecy that I would become a wolf, so it would have happened if it was Ruby, or another wolf. I am glad it was Ruby because, even if it was an accident, it was someone I care about. And the only issue that she and Belle had, has been resolved. Whether or not Belle should be bitten is not something to be taken lightly, something Ruby would never force on her worst enemy, let alone someone she loves. So, it's understandable that they were fighting. And I can see why you aren't as close to someone you claimed as your best friend now, especially given how you are acting about them even being together. How are you going to behave with the knowledge that I am willingly choosing to be with them? To become a wolf? That I want them, just like they want me? Are you going to push me away now too?"

"You are just confused, Emma. You don't actually want to be with them, they are just making you think that. You aren't like that, you are a princess. But don't worry, we will get you sorted out in no time and everything can go back to normal." Snow continued to lecture in her most patronizing tone, ignoring the tension building in the room.

"NO!" Emma was immediately standing and her fist slammed down on the table with enough force to have it almost crack in half. "There is **nothing** wrong with their love or our relationship. They are my mates, and I love them. Are you really that blind to have not even noticed that I like WOMEN, and have even dated a few since I moved here? Or is there something wrong with that now, too?" The yellow had returned to Emma's eyes, as had the surge of protectiveness and power that came with the need to defend her mates. "Our love is the same as any other person's love, and we are just as normal as any other people out there. You will not disrespect my mates or our relationship in my presence. **Do you understand**?"

Leaning heavily on the straining table, Emma failed to notice the threatening posture she had taken, towering over her still seating mother. It was very reminiscent of her first disagreement with Ruby, when Henry had been mentioned, but that was the furthest thing from her mind in that moment. Her wolf was pushing for further action, wanting to defend its mates, its family, not caring that the woman in front of them was her birth mother. It wanted to put the challenger in its place and assert itself as the one in control of things.

Snow's eyes widened, her mouth falling open in shock, before she stood up and narrowed her eyes in the fiercest glare she could manage. "They are not your _mates_, and their relationship is not normal. It's **disgusting**. And the fact that they are trying to drag you down with them is revolting. You are coming with me to see Blue, and then you are coming home with me to your brother and father. You will NOT see Ruby or Belle again. You will find a man to be with, and you will be happy. I forbid you to continue to do this to our family. Do YOU understand? I am your mother, and you will not disgrace me with your behaviour."

Fighting back the instincts roiling inside her, Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the hurt to keep her in the moment. Anger had always been difficult to control, but putting a mask on pain was one of her specialties. Emma straightened her posture, locked her jaw, and gazed at Snow with as little emotion as she could. This was not her mother, the one she had dreamed of as a child, and this was not the caring roommate she had come to love as family in her own way, not any longer. This was Queen Snow, rightful heir to the White kingdom, and someone she didn't want to know. "Thank you for answering my questions. I can see now that we will not be able to speak about this as calmly as I had hoped. As this is a difficult topic for both of us, I think it's time you leave, until we can be civil."

"There is nothing to discuss Emma. We are leaving now, together, and going to see Blue. This is not up for debate. I am sure since you haven't changed yet, she can break the curse, and when we do, whatever confusion you are having regarding your feelings for Ruby and Belle will be over." Not realizing that the volume of their conversation could be heard in the kitchen by the three other women, Snow failed to hear the twin growls coming from the doorway behind her. Emma heard and knew that neither of her mates would be able to contain their anger and hurt for much longer and she decided to end this as quickly as possible.

"I am not going anywhere with you. I am happy; I have found my mates, my family, and I would never leave them for any reason." Pulling the neck of her shirt down to bare her freshly healed mating mark for Snow to see, Emma spoke in a calm, even tone. "Do you remember the blast last night; the one that had the town in a panic because it was so powerful? That happened when Ruby and I completed our mate bond. It was like the power that comes from True Loves Kiss, but more, right? That's what everyone is saying, isn't it? Want to know how I know? Because we were there, and it came from us! _**They are my mates and they will not be taken from me**_**!**"

Anger rising, Emma was panting at the strain on her control. She needed to get Snow to leave now, before she began to feel just how much this rejection was going to upset, and it pushed her beyond what she could control. "We are happy, we are not disgusting, and the only person who needs to leave is you."

"If you don't leave with me right now, do not bother coming back to the apartment. I can't have you around your brother like this. You are clearly not thinking correctly, and you are probably as dangerous as Ruby is without her cape, if not more so. You shouldn't even be around Henry! But at least Regina will protect him from you and what you are doing." The haughty princess levelled a look of disdain at her daughter, as she added, "You are not welcome in my home until you are better. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly. Now get the hell out of my sight, you insipid, self-centered, bigoted, egotistical, **MORON**!" Having finally reached her breaking point, Emma was unable to stop the snarl that began to leak heavily into her voice. "If you are going to be like this, here are some conditions of your own. You are not welcome around any of my family if you are going to have your head that far up your own ass. You are the one who is disgusting! You claim Ruby as your best friend, yet you act like she is a monster for loving someone you don't approve of. Well guess what? You are the only monster in this room. You sent me through a wardrobe when I was 5 minutes old. You weren't even sure it would work, where I would end up, and you expected me to survive 28 years on my own, just to show up and happily break the curse for you. What did you think would happen then, hmm?" Emma had begun to circle Snow, forcing her slowly back up towards the front door of the diner. She could smell the waves of emotions rolling off of Snow, and the scent sickened her.

_'Fear. Anger. Disgust. Confusion. She was a leader? Why would the people follow her? We are Alpha. We will protect our lands from her, from her kind. She is WEAK, pathetic.' _The thoughts coming from the enraged wolf part of Emma were pushing her towards something, but she was too lost in her anger to care at this point. The woman before her was everything she had wished for as a child, the fairy-tale come to life just for her, but the reality was that Snow was not what she had needed anymore. She didn't need a fairy-tale, she needed her family, and Snow wasn't it.

"Did you think we would all live happily ever after? That I would just do whatever you said, and play your pretty princess the way you always wanted, perfect in every way? Are you forgetting that I am older then you and grew up in the real world? You always got everything you wanted, didn't you Snow? Well, guess what? Not this time and never again from me. You wanted a second child, one you could raise properly, so go take your second chance, and enjoy it while it lasts. _**Because we will have our kingdom, our family will rule justly, without your hatred, my mates will be happy, and the wolves and people of our kingdom will be happy and never have to fear the likes of you again! NOW GET OUT!"**_

Having finally snapped, the wolf pushed fully to the front of Emma's mind, speaking the words it knew to be true. They would rule, and their mates would be happy. As the wolf lunged at Snow to put her in her place, strong arms encircled Emma's waist from behind, making the blonde snarl and thrash.

* * *

><p><em>"They are not your mates, and their relationship is not normal. It's <em>_**disgusting**__. And the fact that they are trying to drag you down with them is revolting. You are coming with me to see Blue, and then you are coming home with me to your brother and father. You will NOT see Ruby or Belle again. You will find a man to be with, and you will be happy. I forbid you to continue to do this to our family. Do YOU understand? I am your mother, and you will not disgrace me with your behaviour."_

Hearing the words from Snow's mouth left all three of the women standing in the kitchen in shock. She had been Ruby's trusted friend, her loyal soldier and confidante, and a second granddaughter to Granny. Belle had thought that she and Snow were developing a tentative friendship, albeit a minor one. But to hear her so openly degrade the women and their love opened their eyes to just who Snow really was. She was still the Black-and-White viewing Queen of the Enchanted Forest, no longer the girl who had asked for her help all those years ago.

"Fuck," Ruby breathed as she began to feel the power build in the air. She knew that Emma would have trouble controlling her emotions, and therefore her magic, if things became strained between them, but this was shocking. The power was almost tangible at this point, especially when Snow started talking about the relationship between Belle and Ruby. It was a dangerous thing to piss off a magic-wielder, but one who was becoming a werewolf? That was like kicking a nuke to see if it would explode.

When Snow began talking about taking Emma away from them, something in Ruby began to doubt that Emma would want to stay. And the thought hurt both her and her wolf. Snow was Emma's family, her mother, who she had longed for her entire life. How could she ask Emma to choose between her and her family?

For Ruby, Emma had been a breath of fresh air from the second she had sat down in the diner for the first time. Before the curse had broken, she had been drawn to the blonde like no one else she had ever met. She was worldly, confident, and charming, as ironic as that came to be. There was nothing that Emma could have asked that she wouldn't have done.

After breaking the curse, Ruby had been afraid to see the blonde for fear of her pulling away in disgust at what Ruby had done in her past. And then she had met Belle. And then Lacey. Both parts of a woman who held her attention no matter who else was around, with the exception of two other people. But Belle had enjoyed her company almost as much as Lacey, after Belle had fallen across the line. Once Belle had her memories back, Ruby had kept her distance, only seeing Belle at the diner or in passing around town. She had missed her friend, both parts of her, and it was painful to watch the woman you had a crush on be with the vilest person she could name.

When Belle had married Gold, something in Ruby snapped. Seeing the ring on Belle's hand had triggered her to transform in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Belle deserved better, deserved her, and she would fight for her to the death.

When Belle pulled the dagger and demanded that Gold not harm Ruby, there had been no effect. He had blasted Ruby across the street, landing her on the roof of Emma's beloved Bug and crushing it under the force. She had lost consciousness immediately.

Ruby had awoken in the hospital later that day to see Belle sleeping in the chair beside her bed. After Gold had tried to force Belle to leave with him, Emma had stepped in, having seen the whole confrontation from inside the diner. Gold had ignored Emma, and tried to force Belle to go with him, and Emma had blasted Gold with her own magic to stop him.

They had taken Ruby to the hospital in the cruiser, and called Regina to help them put wards up. When Regina had gotten to the hospital, she could feel residual magic on Belle, and with her permission, she had quickly examined her. The spell or rather spells that Gold had placed on Belle had altered a great deal of her memory, as well as the things she could see and hear with respect to him. It had been almost like he put blinders on Belle so that she could only see the positive and slightly less evil things that Gold said and did. It was only when Ruby had attacked him that Belle could see what he was doing.

When Belle had drunk the potion that Regina made, with the help of Blue, she had begun to remember and see things that she never had before. Deals Gold had struck, people he had tricked or killed; it was horrific. The marriage was immediately annulled, and Gold disappeared from the town. They knew he wasn't gone forever, but they would deal with him when he came back.

Ruby was in the hospital for only 2 days before being released, her wolf accelerating her healing enough that she was anxious to leave. Shortly after Ruby and Belle had shared Tue Loves Kiss, breaking the final curse Gold had placed on Belle to keep him with her, a curse of perpetual guilt. Blue had confirmed that it was True Love's Kiss when sceptics had voiced concern, and the women had been together ever since.

The initial fears that Ruby had felt with Belle, the uncertainty that someone could love her unconditionally and want to stay with her, were raging back to the surface as she listened to Snow confront Emma. Either way Emma was going to lose something, and Ruby could not help but feel that it was all her fault.

* * *

><p>Watching the emotions play across Ruby's face, Belle knew that she was doubting Emma's love and conviction to be with them, just as she had when they had first gotten together. Ruby had been so scared to fully open up her heart, all because she believed that she was a monster.<p>

"Ruby, sweetheart, come here." Belle opened her arms for her love, knowing what she needed in that moment was comfort and reassurance. Snuggling deeply into the embrace, Ruby, breathed in the scent of her love and soon to be full-mate, mixed with Emma's scent. It soothed the anger and fear Ruby was fighting within herself, and reminded her that Emma had already chosen both of them, and that all she could do was be there for the blonde when it was all over.

_"There is nothing to discuss Emma. We are leaving now, together, and going to see Blue. This is not up for debate. I am sure since you haven't changed yet, she can break the curse, and when we do, whatever confusion you are having regarding your feelings for Ruby and Belle will be over." _

Although Granny had not changed in a great many years, as she stood at the doorway to the kitchen, her eyes briefly turned yellow and she let out a deep growl. It was matched by one coming from her granddaughter, who was still wrapped in her love's arms. Snow had no right to attack her family the way she was, or the love that the feelings that they shared.

_"I am not going anywhere with you. I am happy; I have found my mates, my family, and I would never leave them for any reason. Do you remember the blast last night; the one that had the town in a panic because it was so powerful? That happened when Ruby and I completed our mate bond. It was like the power that comes from True Loves Kiss, but more, right? That's what everyone is saying, isn't it? Want to know how I know? Because we were there, and it came from us! __**They are my mates and they will not be taken from me!**__"_

Hearing the calm declaration from the other room, both Ruby and Belle broke into soft smiles that quickly faded when the next part of the conversation reached their ears.

_"If you don't leave with me right now, do not bother coming back to the apartment. I can't have you around your brother like this. You are clearly not thinking correctly, and you are probably as dangerous as Ruby is without her cape, if not more so. You shouldn't even be around Henry! But at least Regina will protect him from you and what you are doing. You are not welcome in my home until you are better. Do you understand?"_

"_Perfectly. Now get the hell out of my sight, you insipid, self-centered, bigoted, egotistical, __**MORON! **__If you are going to be like this, here are some conditions of your own. You are not welcome around any of my family if you are going to have your head that far up your own ass. You are the one who is disgusting! You claim Ruby as your best friend, yet you act like she is a monster for loving someone you don't approve of. Well guess what? You are the only monster in this room. You sent me through a wardrobe when I was 5 minutes old. You weren't even sure it would work, where I would end up, and you expected me to survive 28 years on my own, just to show up and happily break the curse for you. What did you think would happen then, hmm? Did you think we would all live happily ever after? That I would just do whatever you said, and play your pretty princess the way you always wanted, perfect in every way? Are you forgetting that I am older then you and grew up in the real world? You always got everything you wanted, didn't you Snow? Well, guess what? Not this time and never again from me. You wanted a second child, one you could raise properly, so go take your second chance, and enjoy it while it lasts. __**Because we will have our kingdom, our family will rule justly, without your hatred, my mates will be happy, and the wolves and people of our kingdom will be happy and never have to fear the likes of you again! NOW GET OUT!"**_

Hearing Emma's voice rise throughout her tirade, Ruby, Belle and Granny all knew that Emma was losing the battle with her instincts. If she wasn't calmed down, quickly, it was likely that she would end up hurting Snow, something they all knew she would never forgive herself for. Rushing from the kitchen, Ruby reached Emma just as she lunged towards Snow. She wrapped her arms around Emma's waist, knowing that she was only able to stop her because Emma's wolf would never hurt her.

"LEAVE! NOW!" Ruby barked at Snow, further tightening her hold around the thrashing and growling Sherriff. Turning her back to the woman who was again frozen in shock as her daughter's display, Ruby began attempting to calm Emma. "Baby, I need you to calm down. I know she upset you, but I need you to come back to me. Emma, we need you to come back to us. Please baby, come back to us. Please."

Seeing that Ruby had a hold on Emma, Granny moved towards Snow and dragged the woman out the front door of the diner, letting the former princess stumble along the path. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Belle join Ruby in calming Emma down, blocking the blonde's view of Snow.

"Leave, Princess. And don't come back. Not unless you can be respectful of their relationship. Ruby loved you like family; she fought for you, even when I told her not to. She killed her own mother to protect you. And now, for whatever narrow minded reason you think you have, you have turned your back on her, along with your own daughter. I think the Queen has been right all these years. You are an idiot!" Not bothering to wait for a reply, Granny turned back to the diner to check on the women she knew would be upset.

Shooting a final glare at the scene taking place in the diner, Snow turned to leave. "My daughter will not be pulled into this. She is a princess and she will love a prince, and have her happy ending. I will make sure of that."


	11. Chapter 11

_"Baby, I need you to calm down. I know she upset you, but I need you to come back to me. Emma, we need you to come back to us. Please baby, come back to us. Please."_

Registering the fear in her mate's voice, the instincts driving Emma to attack began to clear from her mind, allowing her to realize she had lost control. Blinking rapidly, she found that Ruby had her wrapped in her arms and Belle was directly in front of her, gently stroking her face. Taking deep, shuddering breaths, Emma forced her anger-driven instincts away completely, and focused on calming for her mates.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I just… just lost it there. She, she just…" The tears begin to roll slowly down Emma's cheeks, as she pulled Belle completely flush against her front, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Ruby tightened her grip on Emma from behind and wrapping one hand around Belle as well, cradling Emma between them.

As angry as Emma had just been, Belle knew that Emma would never harm her mate, and so she had stepped in front of the raging blonde and begun gently quieting her. As the Emma she knew returned, eyes fading from yellow to vibrant green, Belle knew Emma was just realizing what had happened. "It's ok. Shhh. We have you babe, it's going to be ok," Belle whispered to Emma, keeping her hold on the blonde tight.

Belle knew Emma had just been turned out by her family, and that it would be one of the most painful things she would ever have to endure, even if she had not fully realized what had just happened yet. Emma had searched for them her entire life, and when she had finally found them, she had risked everything, including her life many times over, to save and protect them. Her parents spoke of love and acceptance, and were the ideal representation to every child everywhere of perfect love, in this world and theirs. And then in one conversation, Emma was forced to choose between her mother's conditional love, and the love of the people she had chosen as her own family. It was a wonder she had not resisted the call of her mates more.

The choice was never truly about her family though, or even the relationship with Belle and Ruby. It had been a choice between Emma being who she was, and who the mother that had abandoned her wanted her to be. Emma had never made it a secret that she liked women, but she had never sat her parents down to blatantly tell them either. Shortly after Belle was freed from Gold, she had begun to have lunch at the diner with Emma several times a week, much to Snow's silent dismay. Emma had been supportive of Belle when her father had disowned her after finding out about her relationship with Ruby, and their friendship had flourished. They had talked a great deal about sex, sexuality, and the cultural differences between this world and the Enchanted Forest.

When Belle asked Emma how Snow felt about Emma liking women, Emma had shrugged, and said if she ever found someone as amazing as Belle or Ruby, someone that she wanted to spend the rest of a very long life with, she would find out. But until then, she would not force the issue with Snow. Belle had blushed at the compliment, and the accompanying wink, and she had thought to herself that Snow would have to be a fool to ever not appreciate someone as amazing as Emma. Whoever it was that Emma fell for would have to pass every test Belle could think of, if she wanted to be with her. Emma only deserved the best, and Belle would make damn sure that is exactly what she got.

Thinking back on that conversation, Belle knew that Emma would not regret her choice to stay with her and Ruby. As much as it would hurt, Emma had always maintained that when she gave her heart to that special someone, nothing would ever force her to leave them behind. Not like she had been.

Belle also knew that every fear and insecurity that Emma had ever faced had been brought straight to the surface by her family's rejection, and she would need her mates to be there for her now. "We have you and we aren't going anywhere."

Ruby held Emma tightly and buried her nose in the blonde curls gathered around Emma's neck. The scent soothed her riled wolf with every breath, as she tried to deal with her own pain and sadness over Snow's words.

Snow, the woman she had thought was her best friend, who supposedly loved and accepted her unconditionally, had just insinuated every derogatory thing that Ruby knew had been said behind her back since the curse broke. They called her a monster, disgusting, unnatural, a beast, not to mention every variation of the term 'slut' that could be made.

During the curse, she had flirted shamelessly, had worn the most provocative clothing she could find, antagonizing her Granny to no end. But she didn't sleep around. She went out, partied, and had fun, but at the end of the night, if she was too intoxicated to make it home on her own, she slept it off in the back seat of her car. And Snow knew this, or at least Mary Margaret did.

But after the news about Ruby's reaction to Gold reached her, and then she found out that Belle was Ruby's True Love, Snow had grown distant. There had always been a reasonable excuse, wanting to spend time with David or Emma, or even with Henry on occasion. Heck, even just wanting some time to unwind with an evening alone. Ruby had never pushed and just taken it in stride that Snow had been through a lot, more than most with the curse, and then with every major danger that had come since. She never dreamed that her friend, the woman she had chosen over family, over her own mother, would feel that way about her. It hurt more than when she had abandoned the pack after her mother had died, leaving her a lone wolf.

And as badly as she felt about Snow saying those things about her, it was equally matched by the anger she felt over how she had treated Emma. To throw her own daughter out like that for simply being who she is, for loving someone, it raised Ruby's ire to newfound levels. Her mate hurt, and she could feel that pain.

When Belle had been cast out by her father, she had no one left in the town that could offer the type of friendly support that she knew Belle needed. Emma had stepped up and filled that roll without any fanfare. She had simply seen Belle eating alone and asked to join her. The joy in Belle's eyes by the end of that meal had been remarkable. She had been alone for days, aside from Ruby and Granny. Most of the town had shunned her because she had been with Gold, and the rest didn't care to get to know her.

Emma however, had seen someone who needed an easy smile, and had given it freely. They had become fast friends, often sharing a meal several times a week at the diner. They would frequently engage in debates about everything and anything. From movies, to books, to soda, everything was a topic open for debate. They were both so happy spending time with someone who was as new to this combined world as they were, they were almost as inseparable as Belle and Ruby themselves.

The day Belle finally asked Emma about how her own family had taken the news of her orientation, Ruby had held her breath, waiting for the answer. And true to Emma Swan tradition, she managed to brush off the worry for another day, while also comforting her friend in the same breath. Ruby knew then that whoever finally caught Emma's eye would be in for the most brutal friend-test ever endured, from both Belle and herself. Emma deserved the best.

_"We have you and we aren't going anywhere."_

Still holding Emma as tightly as she could, Ruby felt the blonde start to shake at Belle's words.

Letting the tears finally fall, Emma began to cry. She had always worried that she would do something or say something and Snow would reject her. But this was never what she had expected; Snow had hit every nerve Emma had ever revealed to the woman, and even a few she hadn't. She had outright rejected her completely for something she should be sharing her joy in.

She was homophobic, didn't care about what Emma felt, said that there was something wrong with her for being who she was, and that she shouldn't be around Henry because she was dangerous. Emma knew Regina was a good person, that she had changed since her time in the Enchanted Forest, and that she loved Henry with everything she had. But for Snow, who had always treated Regina as something less, someone untrustworthy, to place her above her own daughter simply for falling in love, hurt all that much more. She was lower than Snow's worst enemy, literally.

And to think of the way Snow saw her mates, her best friends, broke Emma's heart. These amazing women had literally been through hell in their lives, but they came through it together, stronger than ever before. They loved each other with their whole hearts, and now they extended that love to her as well.

Unable to hold herself up any longer under the weight of her pain, Emma let her knees buckle, trusting her mates to support her as she fell. Sobs wracked her frame as she couldn't hold back the anguish she felt over the rejection from the family she had always searched for, and thought she had finally found.

Taking large gulps of air, Ruby's and Belle's combined scents began to calm the wild thoughts rushing through her head. A now familiar thought pattern interrupted her despair, whispering strength directly into her heart and mind. '_Snow isn't worth this pain that you are feeling. We chose our happiness, our mates. We are a protector of our family, not a danger to it. She is wrong.'_

With a final sniff, Emma was able to stop the tears. Lifting a watery smile to Belle, she gave her a gentle kiss. "I know you both are. Thank you. I will be fine." Tugging on Ruby's hand, she pulled the brunette to her side, and gave her a tight hug and a gentle kiss as well. "She is the one who is losing out. I have my family right here."

"Damn right you do, pup. Don't let her Royal Prissiness make you think otherwise. You are staying here until you three find a place of your own." Granny piped up from behind the three women. She had observed the entire interaction, and knew that they would be fine. It may take a few battles, but they would end up exactly where they were needed in order to be a family. And she would be there to kick their tails back in line when they needed it too.

"Thanks Granny. I know you will need the room back as soon as possible, though. So I do have a surprise for everyone." Still sniffing, Emma stood and took a seat at the closest table, linking her fingers with both Ruby and Belle. "I knew I couldn't stay with Snow and David forever, especially with them starting another family." Emma grimaced at the thought, but pressed on. "I bought a property a little over a year ago. It's at the very end of Mifflin Street, not far from our clearing. The house there needs work, and I have been doing most of it myself and saving as much as I can to have professionals finish the rest. But now that I have a bit better control of my magic, I think I may be able to have it ready by next weekend!"

The other three women stared at Emma in open shock. Everyone knew about the property at the end of Mifflin, but no one had any idea who had bought it and been fixing it up.

Ruby was the first to recover from the surprise. "You already have a house, a huge one at that, and it's right by the woods?"

"Yep. I may need some help decorating and stuff, but yeah, I do." Emma grinned at her mates, happy that they had not rejected her surprise yet. She looked back and forth between the women hoping that they understood what she was offering.

"Is this your way of asking us to move in with you?" Belle finally chimed in, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Isn't that some kind of lesbian cliché that you told me about? Moving in on the second date?"

Granny was unable to hold back her laughter as Emma turned five different shades of red at the teasing. "Considering you three did the equivalent of eloping on the first date, I don't think it's a bad thing. Might save some of my customers their innocence if they don't have to hear a repeat of today's performance."

It was Belle's turn to blush, her cheeks and chest burning crimson. Ruby tries hard to hide her chuckles at her mates embarrassment, remembering how often Granny used to tease her for the very same reason.

"So does that mean you will move in with me then?" Emma asked shyly, barely above a whisper, eyes flicking back and forth between the women.

Hearing the vulnerable tone to their mate's question, Ruby and Belle share a look before tackling Emma in a tight embrace. "You silly almost-wolf. Of course we will." Ruby grins at Emma before nuzzling into her neck, nosing the mark she had left the previous evening.

"On one condition." Belle states, a sombre look on her face. "I get to decorate the library. And Ruby gets to decorate the media room." Shooting a quick wink to the blonde, Belle knew that Emma would remember their conversation about when she and Ruby had claimed the same room to decorate in their shared apartment above the library, and the battle of wills that had ensued.

Collapsing in a fit of giggles, Emma happily agreed to the demands, knowing that so long as they were together and turning the house she bought into a home for all of them, she would have everything she needed.

"As much as I hate to go, I should get back to the station, and then go find Regina. I need to put in my request for a leave of absence until after the next full moon. What do you, my beautiful mates, think about asking for her help in finishing the house as well? I am getting better, but a little professional supervision might not be a bad idea." Emma asked before she lifted her hands, still laced with Ruby and Belle's, placing a gentle kiss on the back of each.

"I think that may be a good idea. Maybe we can have her and Robin over for dinner, and you two can apologize for the incident last night?" Belle asked, attempting the most innocent look she could adopt. "I mean he's such a wonderful-"

"You know full-well that Robin is an ass, and that we did nothing wrong last night." Ruby said before she caught the sarcasm in Belle's tone at the mention of the former thief. "But I agree we should all spend some time with Regina. If she is our fourth mate, we will know pretty quickly. At least Emma and I will. You probably won't start showing signs of the transformation for another couple of weeks, Belle."

"I agree, we should spend some time with her, even if it just as friends. But I think that if Regina is happy with Robin, we shouldn't interfere with her happiness. So can we just take this as it comes, and see about having a friend over for dinner for helping us out?" Emma reasoned, not wanting to ruin a relationship, especially if Regina was happy, but also not wanting to upset her mates. As much as Belle and Ruby seemed to think Regina was part of this, she still wasn't sure, and didn't want to ruin a friendship on a guess.

"Sound like a plan, babe. But you really do need to get back to work, and so do we. Come back here later, and we can all spend some time together?" Ruby asked, her eyes wide and hopeful.

"I will be home by 8pm. Just need to sneak into Snow's to get my helmet and some clothing," Emma answered, a smile on her lips that did not reach her eyes. It would be painful for Emma to talk about Snow, and both Ruby and Belle knew that she would need time to process.

With a gentle kiss to both Ruby and Belle, and a tight but awkward hug to Granny, Emma left to gather her things from her former home.

"And I will be home by 6pm, so we can talk about everything that's happened." Belle gave Ruby a look that said they had some things that they needed to work out, and soon. "No excuses either missy."

"Of course not. I will be here and we will talk." Ruby smiled easily and gave Belle a quick peck as she left to make her way to the library down the street.

"Alright girl, let's get this place cleaned up and open again. Time's a-wastin'." Granny barked, heading back to the kitchen to put away the lunch that had been forgotten in all the family drama from the day.

Heaving a sigh, Ruby started to clean up the dishes scattered around the various tables, wishing she could have just gone back to bed this morning and spent her day with her mates.


	12. Chapter 12

The walk to the station didn't take long, given how preoccupied Emma's thoughts currently were. Walking through the front door, she was greeted by a tired and angry looking David standing next to a small mountain of paperwork.

Seeing Emma, David barely greeted her before launching into the events of the previous evening. "Emma, there was some type of magic wave last night that did a bunch of damage on Mifflin Street. Almost every house on the block had some type of damage. Windows were broken, shutter's blown off, broken tree limbs falling on car-"

"Is Regina okay?" Emma asked cutting David off from his rant. She didn't really care about the property damage, only that Regina hadn't been hurt by something she had caused.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, David glared at Emma's question. "The Evil Queen is fine. Not a scratch on a single inch of her property, or her. Not that that's surprising."

"Why is that not surprising?" Noting the clear sarcasm and derision in his voice, Emma had a feeling she knew where he was going with his statement.

"She's fine, and so is her house because she had something to do with it. Hers is the only house that that I saw in that entire area that wasn't damaged!" David stated, gesturing roughly before crossing his arms over his chest with a superior look.

_'Because she is not hurt, he believes she has done something. That was our power from the bond we created with our mate. She has not yet had anything to do with that power. How did the people suffer this fool as a leader?!'_ As the thoughts growled through Emma's mind, she unknowingly released a verbal growl to accompany it, directed at David with a pointed glare. Emma felt her instincts begin to surge forward again, her anger building quickly after her confrontation with Snow earlier.

"She had nothing to do with what happened last night. In fact, I know exactly what happened and who caused it, every detail, and Regina had nothing to do with it!" Not realizing she had begun to tense her posture, Emma stalked straight over to David, entering his personal space with a growl, her teeth bared in a snarl. "What did you say to her last night? If you are acting like this now, here with me, I can only imagine what you must have been like last night with her!"

As Emma moved closer, David instinctively backed away from her until his legs hit the chair behind him. Falling into the seat with a heavy thump, David stared wide-eyed at the anger in Emma's eyes. "N-nothing. I-I just questioned her about what she knew about the incident and told her that if she had anything to do with it, she would be put in a cell just like your mother and I did with Rumplestiltskin." Attempting to regain the arrogant posture he had so often adopted when he had anything to do with Regina, David ignored the seething look Emma had levelled on him. "Besides, you weren't working last night. You were resting up from being "sick" and Belle was answering your phone for you. You can't know what happened because you weren't there."

Ignoring his attempt at changing the topic, Emma let out another low growl, as her inner wolf roared in her mind. _'He is as much of an idiot as his mate, and as The Queen claims him to be. How did he ever best her? She is so much more than him.'_

"First off, I have told you time and again that if you go after Regina or anyone, but especially her, without following proper procedure, I would fire your incompetent ass. This is your last warning. Father, former Prince or not, you will stop accusing Regina of everything that goes wrong in this town! She has been a model citizen for years, and has saved everyone at least a dozen times! You will be making a written apology to her for your behaviour, which you will deliver to her today, under my supervision. You will not go after her again or you will have to deal with me, not her. Do I make myself clear?" Emma asked, standing tall and glaring down at David. Emma knew she was being overly protective of Regina, but she couldn't find it in herself to feel like that was a bad thing, and her wolf agreed.

David could feel the anger rolling off the other blonde in powerful waves and her commanding stance showed her to be every bit the ruler that he hoped his child would become, although he was disheartened she was using that stance with him. He didn't feel that he was wrong in his suspicion of Regina, but he knew that she was right in everything she said. Seeing the look on her face, he knew he would lose this battle and he conceded defeat with a brief nod. Opening his mouth to question her further, Emma cut him off again.

"And, yes, Belle was answering my phone, she has my permission to." Seeing him again open his mouth, she waved her hand to cut him off. "What I do in my private life is just that, my private life. Don't ask any more questions about it, it is none of your business. Father or not, I am not in the mood for this discussion right now. And the reason I know about what happened last night is because I was the cause. Me. It was an accident, and I didn't mean for it to happen. It was my magic and I will take care of any repairs later today. I'm sure we will need to reassure the town that it was an accident and that although it may happen again, it will be much further from the town and nothing else will be damaged. I will speak to Regina and we will set up a town meeting tonight to let everyone know."

Turning away without waiting for a response, Emma froze at the question from David's lips. "What caused it?"

After having just finished the confrontation with Snow, and still dealing with the emotional fallout from it, Emma was unsure if she really wanted to have this discussion right now. But she still knew that he needed an answer before he would accept her explanation, and she would need his help in dealing with the town later in the day. "Do you want the long version or the short version?" she asked bluntly, still facing her office.

"How about something in the middle? I need to know what we're up against, but I don't need every single detail." David knew from her body language that this would likely not be something he would want to hear, so he needed as much information as possible while he could get it.

Turning back around, and walking back towards David, Emma began explaining. "The other night when I was on night shift, Ruby was at the Rabbit Hole. She had a fight with Belle and was blowing off steam. Some guys started in on her and she got pissed. I was called in before anything happened, but it was close. When I grabbed her to get her out of there, she lost it for a second and bit at me. I thought she only got my jacket, but she got my arm, too." Rolling up her sleeve, Emma showed a stunned David the faint mark on her arm. "When we got back to the station, I saw the bite, and started reacting right away. I called Granny, since she knows about werewolves and bites. Ruby was so upset, she didn't mean for it to happen. We think the reason I reacted so quickly is because of my magic. I called you in last night because I wasn't feeling well and because I didn't know what would happen. I went to see Ruby at the diner yesterday, some stuff happened, and it turns out there is another prophesy that I am part of, this one about a magic user that is a royal, who becomes a werewolf. There is a mark that is supposed to show up on the person and I have it. And before you ask, no you can't see it; it's on my ribs and the side of my breast." Watching David, Emma saw no outward reaction to her story, aside from a nod to acknowledge her pre-emptive denial of seeing the mark, and wondered if he could even hear her through his shock right now.

"Anyway, I ended up running in the woods with Ruby last night, because of the moon and all, and some other stuff happened that I don't want to get into right now. But, yeah, Ruby and I are mates now. The wave was from when we formed our bond." Pulling down the collar of her shirt, Emma revealed the healed but very visible bite mark on her neck.

"I don't know how much you know about werewolves, not that I know too much myself, but mating is a permanent bond, kind of like marriage, but no divorce. My best guess is that the wave last night was the werewolf version of True Love's Kiss." Heaving a sigh, Emma flopped down into the nearest chair, too tired from the recent events to stand while she waited for David's reaction.

After several long, tense moments David spoke in a very slow, deliberate manner, almost as if he was talking to a frightened animal. "But I thought Belle was Ruby's True Love?"

"She is. The Prophesy is actually pretty in depth from what I understand. Aside from being a magic user-royal-turned-wolf, it also says that- that I will have more than one mate." Waiting for David to react how Snow did earlier had Emma beyond tense as she added in a rush, "I also mated with Belle, but it won't be a full bond, like Ruby and I made last night, until she shifts for the first time. So there will probably be another wave from that, and when she completes her bond with Ruby too. But we know what to expect now, and will make sure we are as far from town as possible, so this doesn't happen again."

Although her relationship with Snow was always nice, she was constantly pushing Emma towards random men around town and trying to set her up on dates. Snow had also taken to "encouraging" her to wear dresses on an almost constant basis, insisting that Emma never knew when she would meet her very own prince. Snow had never picked up on the fact that she had never dated a man in town, but she had gone out with a few different women. The only semi-serious relationship Emma had been in since coming to Storybrook had been with Kara, and that had ended after only a few months.

David, however, had never pushed her in any direction and aside from an almost irrational, near constant suspicion towards Regina, he had simply been there asking to get to know her. They had grown close, and although she did not think she would ever be able to look to him as a father, Emma did consider him to be family. She hoped that like many of the things they had bonded over, he would have a different view from her mothers' ever royal attitude.

"Okay. So, you are becoming a werewolf, you are part of another prophesy, you're mated to Ruby and Belle, you all share werewolf True Love, or will when Belle shifts, and the wave was because of you and Ruby completing your bond, and there will probably be 2 more waves, but it will be better planned. Did I miss anything?" David asked, leaning forward to place his elbows on his knees.

Chuckling at how similar his explanation was to the first one she had given Snow earlier, Emma shook her head before eyeing David cautiously while she waited for his reaction.

"Well… that's… wow." Shaking his head, David was truly stunned at all of the information Emma had just dropped in his lap. "And you are happy about all of this? Is this what you want?"

Silently nodding again, Emma continued to wait for David's final reaction.

"Well, so long as you are all happy, I am happy for you. Not too thrilled about the accidental bite but I know Ruby would never turn someone purposely. She knows how heavy of a burden that can be." Smiling slightly, David sat back again, watching as Emma let out a breath he doubted she knew she had been holding.

He had grown up a shepherd and his mother had been adamant that love was love. She had always made him feel that he was loved no matter what. He had experimented in his younger years with a boy from the neighbouring farm and he had thought he was in love then, but the other boy had decided that it was just curiosity. David had been crushed, and avoided relationships after that until he had been called upon to take his brothers place and then found Snow. He had known that nobility rarely viewed things the same way that commoners did, but he hoped that Emma at least knew that his love for her was unconditional.

"I am going to get started on the apology for Regina," he stated, turning to his desk and picking up a pen. David chuckled as he added too quietly for her to hear, "At least it was Ruby and Belle, not Regina. I don't think I could handle that."

Belle was eager to see if she could find more information on the White Wolf prophesy for Emma as she made her way towards the library. As well as the blonde is taking everything right now, she knew Emma would want as much information as Belle could find, as fast as she could get it.

Rounding the final corner, Belle stopped dead at the sight of Robin Hood leaning against the frame of the library door. She had never particularly like the man; he was too arrogant and misogynistic for her tastes, not to mention he couldn't take no for an answer. He would have been one of the men that had told her that she should stay home where it was safe instead of going on adventures, or hit on her continually because of her looks and station.

When the news about Ruby and Belle had hit the town, Robin had tried to talk her out of being with Ruby, stating that no woman could truly replace a man for her and that it was unnatural. He had been very insistent that he would be more than capable of showing her that. Given that Robin had been a noble before he became a thief, his reaction was unfortunately not entirely unexpected, although very unwanted. When he had refused to leave the library after being turned down, both politely, and downright bluntly, and began causing a large scene, Emma had been called to escort him from the building. He had not attempted to seek Belle out again until now.

Robin cast an appraising look towards Belle, before he moved to stand in front of her with a smarmy leer. His greeting dripped contempt, and she knew immediately this would not be a pleasant conversation. "Good morning, _Belle_. I was hoping I could have a few moments to speak with you about something rather important."

"And what would that be Robin? I am a little behind schedule to open the library today, as it should have been opened by one o'clock." Belle stated, maintaining distance between the thief and herself.

"Well, I will make this quick then. I thought you should know that I ran into Ruby last night, while she was transformed and running about. Seems she has a new mate now; one Emma Swan." Still wearing a condescending grin, Robin had clearly been looking forward to delivering what he believed to be unknown, and painful information to her. "It's not surprising really, given her nature and all. Too bad about the princess though, such a shame for such a beautiful woman to go to such waste, even if she was so poorly raised in this world. But enough of that, I came here to ask if you would like to reconsider my proposition from before? Perhaps now I can show you the proper way for a woman to behave?"

"I am well aware that Ruby and Emma were running last night and that they are mated. I am also well aware that you tried to kill Ruby last night," Belle snapped coldly, standing tall and sending him a steely glare. She knew what Robin was wanting and she would not listen to his nonsense again. "Should I call Emma down here again to explain the situation to you? Or perhaps Ruby, since she has warned you before to leave me alone? Or perhaps I should call Regina, since you are supposedly her soul mate now?"

The dark look that flashed through Robin's eyes was one Belle was intimately familiar with after living with Rumplestiltskin. It was anger, pure anger and malice. Ignoring his scowl, Belle continued to address Robin in a condescending tone. "I think you should mind your own relationship and stay out of ours. We are happy, we have not hidden anything from one another, and we don't need some random bigoted noble trying to break us up! Now leave before I call for the Sheriff to remove you."

"You... you are all together?! It is unnatural, and immoral. You are all disgusting. How can the people of this town abide such depravity?! You don't deserve to be here with the rest of us." Turning after his rant, Robin stormed off towards City Hall and Belle breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that people would not necessarily take the news of their relationship well, but she had not expected such blatant hostility so soon. Or such shameless proposals from men who claimed to be in love.

Unlocking the library, Belle had to wonder what Regina saw in Robin and if she was truly happy with him. He was arrogant, misogynistic and clearly not as loyal as he presented himself to be. Shaking off the shudder that ran down her spine at the thought of his earlier proposition, Belle knew she would have to speak with Regina about him. It likely wouldn't be the most pleasant of conversations, but it would need to be done. No one deserved to have their partner behaving in such a way behind their backs.

Although she and Regina had moved past their shared history, there was still some remaining hurt and mistrust between them. She had been stuck in a cell in her castle before the curse was cast, magically hidden from everyone outside the castle. Although she was treated well, and taken proper care of, she was still a prisoner there. She had come to see though that it had really been a blessing, as she was safe from Rumplestiltskin, and afforded many of the same privileges as before. And when the curse had been cast, she had been spared from having her memories taken, and while still having to remain a prisoner, she was visited just as frequently by the Queen as she had previously. It had been both a blessing and a curse, but again, she had been kept safe from Gold and his twisted version of love.

When she had been shot and fell across the town line, Regina had given her new memories, allowing her a freedom she had never known in her life before. And although she had been freed from Gold by her new memories, he had still managed to find a way to control her, to bring her back to him. But Ruby and Emma, and Regina too in truth, had saved her again by breaking all of the spells and curses, allowing her true freedom for the first time in her life. Mate or not, she owed Regina a warning, and whatever protection she could offer from a man who may very well be no better than Rumplestiltskin.

Unfortunately, she also knew that Robin would not be stopped as easily this time, and would seek to keep her away from Regina to protect himself as well. Knowing that her mates would not stand for him to harass her, she was fairly certain that there would be some type of altercation. Ruby had control of her emotions but Emma had always been impulsive. And with her new instincts, Belle had a feeling that Emma would end up in the middle of whatever fight he was bringing their way. She only hoped that Regina saw Robin for whom and what he really was before she had her heart broken again.

Turning the sign over, Belle moved behind the front desk of the library to begin her work for the day with a sad smile on her lips as she thought, _'Ah __my mate, what will I do with you? Forever the White Knight, I am sure.'_

Hearing the bell over the door chime, Ruby was surprised to see the mayor walk in looking very tired and upset. Her instincts flared and she immediately left the cleaning she was doing to take care of her.

"Hello Madame Mayor. How are you doing today?" Ruby asked worriedly, keeping a well-practiced smile on her lips.

Looking up with tired eyes, Regina forced a small smile onto her face for the wolf. "Tired, dear. I am very much in need of a coffee if I am to last the afternoon," Regina replied, sitting heavily at a stool at the counter. She was exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before as well as the onslaught of calls she had received regarding the magic wave the night before, not to mention the weight of David's accusations and threats hung heavily on her.

"I take it you were up late because of the wave? It's been the talk of the town." Ruby smiled cheerfully as she prepared Regina's coffee just the way the mayor always liked it, despite having never verbally told her her preferences. Setting the cup down in front of the tired woman, Ruby leaned over the counter to continue to their conversation.

"Everyone wants to know what caused it, but I have no clue. And because no one knows, they are blaming the Evil Queen." Heaving a sigh, Regina took a long sip of her coffee. It was exactly the way she wanted it, which mildly surprised the mayor as she usually asked for it black and finished preparing it at her office. "Thank you. This is perfect."

Almost preening from the praise, Ruby considered the situation Regina was facing. "So, if you were able to find out what it was, would that make you feel better or at least take some of the pressure off?" Ruby asked. She knew that Emma was planning to talk to Regina about the wave and to volunteer to help with the repairs that would need to be done; so letting her know as soon as possible before Snow began running her mouth all over town, was probably a wise idea.

"Yes, but no one has any idea what it was so that is unlikely to happen." Regina sighed, taking another sip of her coffee. The phone calls would not be stopping anytime soon; neither would the concerns or the accusations.

"Well, then you are in luck. First, I know exactly what caused it. Second, I want to apologize because it was completely an accident. Although, I am not exactly sure what it was, but we have a fairly good guess." Ruby explained, rambling. She was suddenly feeling nervous about upsetting the older brunette.

"What do you mean it was an accident?" Regina asked, narrowing her eyes. She knew that she was likely not going to like the explanation she was about to receive.

"Well, the long and the short of it is: I accidentally bit Emma and she is turning into a werewolf, which I'm sure you have already guessed, since we saw you last night. Emma is my mate and last night we ended up completing our mate bond after we saw you. The wave that everyone is freaking out over, as far as we can guess, was the werewolf equivalent to True Love's Kiss." Ruby blushed, looking at the counter and unable to meet Regina's gaze. "We didn't know it would happen, and didn't mean to cause such a fuss."

Hearing the shy tone to the wolf's confession, Regina was caught between several emotions all at once. Relief at knowing what had caused the wave, anger and pain at hearing that Emma and Ruby had completed their bond, and confusion at the explanation of the power behind the wave. "I thought Belle was your True Love?"

"Have you ever heard the Prophesy of the White Wolf by any chance?"


	13. Chapter 13

Having retrieved her clothing and helmet from the loft without issue, Emma headed back to Granny's to drop everything off before going to the house to check for damages. She was worried she may have given herself more work to do than previously thought.

Her conversation with David weighed heavily on her mind because she had not responded after his comment about Regina. Her instincts had thundered through her mind, the wolf demanding that she put David in his place for speaking out of turn, but she could understand his position as well. Unwilling to fully examine why she was so defensive of the sultry brunette, Emma had simply taken her keys and left, pretending not to have heard him.

Now she was alone with her thoughts and was unsure as to what everything meant.

The past two days had been a whirlwind of information, new instincts, and emotions. She had essentially married two of her best friends, been disowned by Snow, given a conditional blessing from David, and been kicked out of the only home she had known in Storybrook.

Granted, she had already been planning to leave the apartment, but it hurt to be turned out that way. She would not try to force Snow to change her mind, and knew that it would be best if they had some space to both calm down for a while, but it still hurt. They were supposed to be her family, the people she had searched for her entire life, and one of them just threw her away like trash for being who she was.

All she really wanted was to go back to bed and curl up with Ruby and Belle; but she also knew that they both had work to do right now and needed some time to themselves to sort out their own part of this new relationship. Having already been together for a year, it was a very big adjustment to suddenly have another party share your lives and beds.

Emma knew that they loved her but her deeply seeded insecurities were still niggling at the back of her mind, telling her that this new happiness that was being offered was too good to be true. Not to mention the fact that there would eventually be yet another person to share with as well; which could bring up another set of issues all on its own. Especially if Belle was right about Regina.

Not paying attention to where her feet were taking her, Emma found herself at the pier looking out at the rolling waves. The rhythm had always soothed her and today was no exception. Taking a seat, she allowed her mind to wander over everything that had occurred.

_She was not angry at Ruby for biting her because she knew it was an accident. And to be honest, she was really enjoying the new strength that was flowing through her, as well as the control that she now had over her magic. It had always taken a great deal of concentration for Emma to call her magic forth but since she'd been bitten, it had been almost effortless, instinctual._

_She had also always had a crush on both Belle and Ruby, but she'd been too afraid of being rejected to ever approach either in a romantic capacity when they had been single. When they had gotten together, she had just settled for being the best friend she could be. Being there for both women in any way possible felt like the best she could do in the situation, and although it had hurt at first, she was truly happy for them._

_Ruby was a surprisingly gentle soul, under the flirtatious front she put up. She truly cared about people, especially those she was close to. She would do almost anything for her friends, regardless of the personal cost. Hence why she had defended Snow from her own mother, and then left the pack behind to stay with her. And now Snow was casting that loyalty aside with snide comments and contemptuous words._

_Belle was the polar opposite to Ruby, while still being a genuinely good person. She was quiet and reserved around the general public, but her passion and sarcastic wit was hard pressed to match. Her gentle disposition was very deceptive and Ruby had often warned Emma that she was a very different person behind closed doors. Having finally seen for herself how polar Belle's personality could be, Emma was all the more captivated by the seemingly shy librarian._

_Emma had always feared Snow's reaction to her orientation as there had been hints of her disapproval throughout their relationship, both before and after the curse had broken. Snow had made small comments here and there that had led Emma to not bring up the topic._

_When Emma had been dating Kara, they had always spent the night together at Kara's place, or occasionally at the inn. They only stayed at the loft one time, when Snow and Charming were on a second Honeymoon for a week. But this wasn't a fling for Emma and she was not ashamed of her mates or who she was, and she would not hide it from anyone any longer._

_David had offered her support but Emma knew that he would never go against his wife openly, and she would not put him in the position to make him choose between his True Love and his child. He had said he was okay with her making her own choices in her life, but his off-hand comment put her on edge. Would he still be accepting when Snow put pressure on him? Or what about when she found her 3rd mate? Especially is Belle was right, and it was Regina? Would he still love and support her then?_

_And what was she going to tell Henry about the entire situation? Would he accept the new prophesy and her new relationships? Or would he react as Snow did and not want to have anything to do with her anymore? He was a teenager; and although he was more open-minded than he had been when the curse first broke, he still idolized Snow and David. Would he want to have a room in their new house? Or would he simply want to stay with Regina? Or worse, would he side completely with Snow and rush to the loft to stay in her now empty room?_

_The house was only half done as she had been doing the repairs manually herself. She had worked a number of different jobs in her life; and although chasing bail jumpers paid well, she had always enjoyed restorations work. It gave her a feeling of accomplishment to see something returned to its former glory and by her own hard work. But now Emma wanted to be with her mates and staying at the inn really wasn't an option if the drives of the past two days were anything to judge by. Their apartment was located in the middle of town, and they had already gotten noise complaints from the finicky neighbours for just having a movie a little loud one evening. How would they take the new level of noise coming from them all? It wasn't fair to the neighbours, even if they were touchy, so magic would have to complete the work early on the house, and she would need to find another project to work on to keep her occupied._

_And when it comes to her magic, Emma was still unsure if she was up to the task alone. She had struggled until the previous evening to control her magic, often receiving mixed results from her efforts. Although she thought that she would be fine, given her new instincts, she felt supervision would be a good precaution to take. Regina was the only magic user in town that she was confortable seeking out but given Belle and Ruby's theory about their other mate, she was unsure if she should still ask for Regina's help._

_Regina had told her about Robin, the Lion Tattoo, and Tinker Bell's spell when she was younger. If he was Regina's soul mate, her happy ending, Emma would not interfere in the slightest with it no matter how much she despised the man. So long as he treated her with proper respect and care, she would hold her tongue, for Regina's sake. _

_Robin was everything one would expect from a medieval noble or prince. The only problem with that being that they now lived in the modern world and women did not need men to do everything for them anymore and they were worth infinitely more than just a warm body to fill his bed with. His opinions about women were that they were better suited to running a household and raising children, and should let the men take care of the rest. He did not view women as equals in any fashion, and on the few times Robin had spoken with Emma, she had struggled to stop herself from smacking him or outright throttling the man in her disgust. How Regina, a strong, independent woman tolerated his attitude she would never know._

_Robin had firmly planted himself in Emma's bad books when he had cornered Belle at the library after the news about her and Ruby's relationship had broken to the town. He had made several 'suggestions' about how she could be fixed so she could be a proper lady again, offering both his and his merry band of men's services. It had left Belle in a quiet rage and Emma with a seething werewolf to calm. She had been able to keep Robin away from Belle and Ruby since then but after the previous evening, she was sure he would be making a reappearance to once more try his hand._

_If anything did happen, Emma was sure she would end up in a very physical confrontation with Robin and that did not sit well with her either, but neither she nor Ruby would stand for him abusing Belle again. Emma knew it would upset Regina too, if she attacked him, but she also couldn't let him manhandle her mates or any other woman for that matter._

As her thoughts continued to race through her mind, Emma slowly became aware of her surroundings again. Breathing a heavy sigh, Emma noticed a new scent was approaching her from behind. Apples and bergamot mixed with coffee and leather. Inhaling deeply, the scent soothed her raging thoughts before Emma heard the telling click-clack of over-priced high heels. Emma knew that Regina was the only one who would wear the hard-soled shoes to the pier.

"How did you find me?" Emma asked, not turning as the woman soundlessly took a seat next to the blonde on the bench.

"You always come to the pier to watch the waves when you are overwhelmed. Henry did the same thing at his castle before it was torn down," Regina said, waving her hand dismissively. "I understand you are responsible for the magic wave from last night?" A perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised, daring Emma to deny the truth. It wasn't accusatory, just questioning.

"I'm guessing from the cup you are holding, you have been to see Ruby this morning." Emma replied, attempting to avoid the coming conversation for as long as possible.

"I have. And she told me some very interesting information regarding the Prophesy of the White Wolf." Regina stated, mild annoyance coloring her tone. "Would you know anything about that?"

"Maybe a little, given that it is apparently about me. What did Ruby tell you?" Still unsure of how to proceed with regards to Regina, Emma tried to draw out the conversation for as long as possible.

"That you are going to be the Saviour of the werewolf race, refound a kingdom in the Enchanted Forrest, and that you have more than one mate. She said if I wanted to know more, I would have to speak to either Belle or Granny about it later." Taking a small sip of her coffee, Regina continued. "Congratulations by the way. I am happy you have found your True Loves."

Noting that Regina didn't seem to have the whole story, especially the part that concerned her possibly being their mate as well, Emma decided to steer the conversation towards the more pressing topics for the day. She could wait for things to settle before dropping that bomb on the unsuspecting brunette. "Thanks. And yeah, the wave was from Ruby and I last night. We didn't know anything like that could happen. Sorry for all the trouble and for anything that got damaged last night."

Seeing the slight blush on the blondes face, Regina couldn't resist teasing her just a bit about the situation. After all, teasing each other was always their favourite past time. "Nothing on my property was damaged, aside from the slight aural trauma I had to endure."

"You were hurt?!" Emma snapped to attention at the statement, instantly worried about the woman. She did not smell any injuries but her instincts had flown into a frenzy regardless.

Noting the yellow glow to Emma's eyes, Regina quickly realized that the blonde had taken her statement literally and was clearly very distraught at the idea that she had been hurt. _'Ever the White Knight. Ruby and Belle are lucky women,_' she thought wistfully. Clearing her throat to gain Emma's attention back, Regina quickly corrected the misinterpretation, "The clearing you were in is very close to my home. Only about 150 yards to be precise. The trauma was only to my own cognizance as I could hear everything. **Very. Clearly."**

At the deep crimson blush took over the blonde's face, Regina noted that Emma's eyes immediately faded back to their usual striking green. Having averted the potential problem, Regina continued to tease the blonde sheriff, not concerned with pressing her luck. "I will say that I am very impressed. Ruby sounded like a very happy lady last night and was still beaming this morning. And given the grumblings I heard while on my way to the diner, Belle was feeling very much the same way."

Hearing about her mates being satisfied had the opposite effect from the one Regina was expecting though. A predatory grin slid into place as a deep growl built in the back of Emma's throat. Locking her eyes with Regina's, Emma rasped out in a low timber, "Wouldn't you like to know?" Her eyes were again glowing a vibrant yellow, as a pink tongue sneaked out to wet her lips slowly.

Shocked beyond words at Emma's behaviour, Regina chose to instead take a deep sip of her now cold drink before attempting a reply. "R-Ruby, ahem. Ruby said you had some things to speak to me about?"

Shaking her head to clear the haze of lust and instincts, Emma took a deep breath before slumping back into her seat on the bench. _'Where did that come from?'_ she thought before replying to Regina.

"Well, since I was bitten, I have had much better control of my magic. And with all the damaged property from the wave last night, I thought we should call a town meeting to reassure people about what it was and to let them know that I will repair the damage. I was hoping you would be open to supervising me and possibly helping me do the repairs, in case my magic goes wonky again?" Rushing through her request, Emma tried to ignore the urge to fidget.

"Well, that is very reasonable of you Sheriff. I think the meeting would help stop the town from accusing me of some random plot. And it would save the town a great deal of time and money if we use our magic to repair the damages. But what would I get out of helping supervise, hmm?"

"Well, what would you like?" Thinking over anything Regina could want, but didn't already have or have the resources to get, Emma found the list very short.

"Well, I think a public apology from your father would be a great start." Grimacing at the memory of David accusations and threats from the previous evening, she continued. "He was rather direct in his line of 'questioning', again."

Biting back a growl at having to hear again how David had immediately jumped to the conclusion that Regina was up to something, Emma offered a tight smile. "He should actually be done with the written apology he will be giving you tonight at the meeting. I think also making it a public show shouldn't be too much trouble."

"Written apology?" Regina could not hide the confusion in her voice at Emma's statement.

"When I got to the station, David launched into his version of things. We got into it a bit and he admitted a bit of what he said to you. I told him he would be making a personal apology to you, under my supervision, as well as giving you a written apology. He has been warned and the only reason he wasn't charged with misconduct today was that I don't think the town would react well to him being tossed in a jail cell during what they think is a crisis." Running her hands tiredly over her face, Emma could feel her frustration with her deputy mounting again. "I think I will be looking for a couple of new deputies at the meeting tonight. Maybe giving him some more downtime will help him cool his heels a bit."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Regina could not help but feel truly touched at the gesture Emma was making. Having David apologize is one thing, but having him do it in writing, without her having to ask, meant a lot to Regina. "I think that would be a wonderful idea, dear. Was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?"

Feeling sheepish, Emma sat up straight before addressing the mayor again. "Well, a few months ago, I actually bought a house. I wanted somewhere that was away from Snow and David, but still close enough that Henry could come and visit whenever he wanted or stay at whichever house he wanted. I have been fixing it up by myself and was saving to have it finished by a contractor. But since Snow threw me out this morning for refusing to leave Ruby and Belle, I need to get it finished as soon as possible. Living at Granny's isn't a bad thing, but I don't want to overstay my welcome, or cost her more business, and their current apartment isn't really an option for the same reasons."

"Wait. Snow threw you out because you found your True Loves?!" Incredulity dripped from every word.

"More that it was not one but two _women_ specifically. She wanted to take me to Blue to 'fix' me and break whatever spell or curse I was under, because I must be to be so 'confused'. She doesn't believe that Belle and Ruby have True Love, and thinks it's impossible for all of us to share it." Failing to hide the hurt in her words, Emma shifted to face the waves rolling in from the ocean once again. "Some of the way she was acting made me think she might have been a bit jealous, too. It was really weird, even for her."

"It's hypocritical, but unfortunately not surprising. Her father was very rigid in regards to sexuality, as most royals and nobles in the Enchanted Forest were." Thinking back to when Snow was still a child, Regina knew where a great deal of Snow's reaction had likely come from. "When she was 14, her father caught Snow kissing one of her hand maidens. He had the poor girl whipped in the yard and forced Snow to watch. After she was whipped, she was taken to the dungeons for several weeks and left to the guards' mercy. Snow was made to participate in 're-education' lessons for weeks with one of the priests from a local church. After the lessons, Snow would always be very quiet for several days, refusing to speak about the lessons. This went on until the priest deemed her cured. The girl was brought before Snow and the King again and Snow was made to shame the girl for trying to corrupt her."

"Whoa. That's crazy. I guess I can kind of see why she reacted like that. That's terrible." Not surprised that something like that had taken place but still saddened by it, Emma knew she would have to be patient with Snow. A trauma like the one Regina described was not something you just forgot about.

"Still, she shouldn't have turned you out like that. I'm sorry she did that to you, dear." Gently squeezing Emma's arm, Regina was surprised that the smile Emma gave her in response was so full. "But what does the house have to do with it?"

"Ahem, well, you see, I was kind of hoping you would also supervise me finishing it up. I was hoping to move in this weekend." Flashing a hopeful grin, Emma tried to tamp down the excitement that bubbled in her chest at the thought of living with her mates in their own home. _'Home. Our home.'_

"And where exactly is this home of yours, hmm?"

"150 Mifflin Street?" Feeling sheepish at having not told the woman earlier, Emma began to watch her own hands as they twisted in her lap.

Letting out an amused laugh, Regina was startled by her own excitement at having the wolves living so close to her own home. "The last house on the block, right on the forest. Why am I not surprised?"

"Well, at least you are taking it well that we are going to be neighbours. So, is that a yes to helping me finish the house?"

"Yes, dear. I will help you finish your home." Smirking, Regina could see the blonde relax before tensing at her next statement. "But I do have one condition for my help."

"And what's that?" Unsure of the mischievous look the mayor had levelled her with, Emma was cautious of whatever condition the mayor had in mind.

"Since Henry will no doubt be over frequently and I know at least Ruby and Belle enjoy cooking, I get to design your kitchen."


	14. Chapter 14

Having found only a small bit of information on the White Wolf prophecy from the books she already had on hand, Belle decided to spend the next day going through the books she had taken from Rumple's shop after he had disappeared. As it was almost the scheduled time for the library to close, and given that there had only been three people besides herself that had come in that day, Belle decided that closing a few minutes early would be unlikely to bother anyone.

Gathering her things and locking the library door behind her, Belle began thinking over the discussion she wanted to have with Ruby that night. It was a shock to consider how much things had changed in only two days, and there were many things she knew they would need to talk about, just them.

_She and Ruby had been having the same fight for months, always around wolfs time. Ruby, although she never said anything, was still scared of hurting Belle. With what had happened with Peter, she would always fear losing control like that again with someone she loved, and so Ruby had continued to refuse to allow Belle to see her in wolf form. She had also refused to discuss Belle's desire to become a wolf, too._

_Ruby had only spoken to her once on the topic, saying that being a wolf was a curse and she would not turn Belle into a monster as well. From Ruby's perspective, she was protecting Belle. But to Belle, she was being denied a choice she felt was hers to make. Although the two were and are very different, she could not help but draw a parallel between Ruby and Rumplestiltskin on the issue of protecting her from their curse._

_When she had voiced that thought during their last fight, Belle had immediately felt guilty. She knew they were nothing alike, and that Ruby had real and justifiable concerns. Ruby had left the apartment they share without allowing Belle to apologize, and they had yet to have time alone to talk and make up after that fight._

_When Ruby had called in tears the previous morning to tell her that she had accidentally bitten Emma, she had felt jealous in a way she had never known before, hurt that Ruby bitten someone, and worried about Emma. Was she hurt? Angry? What would happen with Ruby and Emma now?_

_Although it was another thing that had never been discussed between them, Belle knew that Ruby longed to run with others of her kind. She was an Alpha wolf without a pack and had been forced to be a lone wolf for almost all of her life. Aside from a singular run with her mother's pack, she was alone aside from Granny. She was the only one of her kind in this land, and in their previous one she had never run into another wolf. Wolves were very social creatures, and to be alone like that would have been torturous to even the strongest wolf._

_Belle could not help but worry about what that would mean for their relationship, having another wolf around, especially one like Emma. She had been positive that she had True Love with Rumple, but that had been an illusion and several curses and spells. Having been with Ruby for a year, she now knew the very obvious difference between what Rumple had shown her and what she had with Ruby. But Ruby now had someone that could be something to her that she refused to allow Belle to ever be._

_She had gone to the diner at Ruby's insistence so that she could be part of the discussions that would be had regarding Emma's transformation, and so she could learn what her best friend would be going through. But upon seeing Emma waiting at the counter and offering her the same easy smile she always had, Belle knew that things would turn out alright in the end, that there was nothing to worry about._

_When she had caught the blondes familiar scent, she had noted that it smelled better than usual to her. When Emma had given Belle her jacket, she had a desire to wrap herself in it, much the same way she did with Ruby's cloak. She had not noticed the intoxicated man who had sat next to her in Emma's seat until he had started speaking to her. And when he had begun to lean over into her space, placing his hand on her leg, she had frozen. It had brought back too many recovered memories of Rumple with a similar glint in his eyes. She had taken the lessons on how to defend herself from Emma and Mulan; and she knew how to escape situations like these, but in that moment, she had simply frozen. Emma had saved her and she had gotten herself a very large, strong drink as soon as she had been alone. Emma's jacket had been her only true comfort after the altercation._

_When they had all been filled in on the prophesy and Emma had defended Belle's right to make the choice for herself, she was worried about how Ruby would react. Seeing the start of Ruby's mating to Emma and the way that the tension had left Ruby's body when Emma had pinned her, made Belle wonder if her girlfriend had just needed to know that she would still be loved if she gave into Belle's wishes. Perhaps Ruby had been scared that the town, her friends, and even Belle, herself, would reject her for changing her._

_Belle's encounter with Emma that morning had left her feeling content in a way she had never experienced. She hadn't been shy with Emma the way she had with Ruby, and although she knew that Emma had kept her safety in mind, Emma hadn't held back with her. It was freeing, both in her openness and in Emma's. When Ruby had come up to get them, it had taken all her restraint to not simply lock the door and drag them both back to bed._

_The scene with Snow had raised a few questions for Belle. Namely: why had Snow reacted so strongly regarding Emma and Ruby being together? As she thought back over those moments, Belle realized that it had looked almost like jealousy. Not that she could blame Snow for being attracted to Ruby, she was a gorgeous woman. But also why did Snow become so upset that Ruby and Emma were together, but had ignored Belle's part in the relationship? Was she really jealous over her own daughter? Or did she not think Ruby was enough for her princess?_

_Lastly, Belle knew that she and Ruby very much needed to talk about the move. They had all been very close friends before they had formed the initial mating bonds, each having hinted at feelings that were more than friendship to the other on occasion. She knew that her bond with both Ruby and Emma was incomplete, if the wave from the previous night was anything to go by. She was looking forward to completing their bond, but there would need to be a bit more forethought for the safety and peace of mind of the town. How would they all work together in one home?_

When Emma had texted her earlier that the meeting was for 6pm and she would be back at the inn by 8pm, as promised, Belle began wondering if Ruby had taken the time to really think over everything that had happened. Belle knew that when everything hit Ruby, it would go one of two ways. She would either be beyond happy with everything, so excited she would be wagging her tail if she had it at the time, or her anxieties and guilt would go through the roof, leaving her a mess of anxiety and depression. If only Belle could be sure which one it would be. It seemed that she still had quite a bit to learn about each of her mates, and this time she would be getting just what she wanted.

Despite the diner being packed full of people wanting to eat before the town meeting, Ruby was still preoccupied with the coming discussion with Belle that night. Emma had texted her earlier to let her know that they wouldn't be explaining what exactly had caused the wave, aside from Emma's magic, and that she would be home by 8pm.

They had all agreed that though they were not ashamed of their new relationship, they didn't feel that the town had any need to comment on their new relationship. Or the fact that Emma was becoming a werewolf, as was Belle. It was private, part of their lives they didn't need to share with everyone, just yet. And it was also likely to result in another mob, like after the curse had just broken, and no one wanted to see that happen again.

Thinking back over the past two days, Ruby began to realize just how much everything had changed for both her and those she cared about. It was everything she had always secretly wanted, but everything she had feared as well.

_Since the moment she had met the blonde, Ruby had been attracted to her. Before the curse had broken, she had never taken things further than flirting out of respect for their blooming friendship. When the curse had broken, and Emma had found her family, Ruby had missed the sheriff incredibly, and had spent as much time as possible trying to occupy herself at the diner._

_Ruby and Belle had been up and down in their interactions when she was still Rumplestiltskin. And when they had finally gotten her away from the bastard, Ruby had been beyond happy. It came out that they were True Loves and they had both jumped head-first into their relationship. She had still felt deeply for Emma, but had pushed aside her attraction and focused on their friendship because Ruby had Belle._

_When Belle and Emma had become close, Ruby had been ecstatic as she knew just how much a friendship with Emma could mean to someone. The blonde gave everything she had for those she cared about, not holding back any part of her trust. It was what they had all needed after the way their lives had been._

_The fights with Belle about becoming a wolf and seeing her transform had Ruby panicking. She thought that she was about to lose someone she loved for the second time in her life because of her wolf. If she refused, Belle could leave her; but, if she gave in, to either request, Belle could die. So, Ruby had run to the Rabbit Hole to drink and try to calm her panicked thoughts as she had so often done in the past._

_When she had sobered enough to realize that she had bitten Emma, Ruby was crushed. She had just sentenced the only person she loved, aside from Belle, to the life of a monster like her. But Emma hadn't hated her, and was actually embracing the wolf._

_Finding out that Emma and Belle were her mates was shocking, if not thrilling. That they had yet another mate was almost unbelievable. Ruby had gone from being scared of losing her True love, to being faced with three people who would love her for the rest of their lives. It was terrifying to experience, but soothing to the chaos that usually was Ruby's heart. She was being accepted and loved for being who she was, not feared for the monster she could be._

_When Emma had simply stated that it was Belle's choice to become a wolf, Ruby had reacted automatically, angered at Belle being put in danger. When Emma had put her in her place and then marked her, everything had suddenly clicked for her. She felt her fears leave and a sense of calm settle over her that she had not felt in years. When she and Emma had marked Belle together, it felt like one more step towards a future that was waiting for her._

_Running with someone, it had been even more incredible then Ruby remembered. And she was sure it was only because she ran with one of her mates. They had been having such fun, before Robin had tried to kill her. Ruby was positive that he had to have known that it was her, and had fired regardless. He had been after Belle since their relationship came to light and she knew could not trust him._

_Regina, however, she had no problem trusting him, oddly enough. She hadn't thought about it at the time, but when Belle had pointed it out later that morning, Ruby had realized that if anything, she had been feeling protective of Regina being stuck with the asshole that night, more then she had been concerned about the former queen being any type of threat. Robin being around Regina raised her hackles, and she fought hard not to step between them._

_The wave, or more specifically what had caused it, had been incredible. Never in her life had she felt anything like it. There were no words to describe the connection Ruby had felt when she had marked Emma, or the fulfillment of being with her mate. If her time with Emma was anything to go by, Ruby was very much looking forward to having Belle mark her when the time came. It was like she had been living without several of her senses and one had just returned. Everything was sharper, more in she knew that soon she would feel complete._

_And she was happy. As simply put as that was, it was the only way to begin to explain what she was feeling. Why she had fought against her own instincts to claim Belle fully was beyond her comprehension at this point. Ruby had been scared and let that blind her to what she had in front of her. Waking up in a tangle of limbs with the two other women had just felt right and her fear was all but forgotten in the wake of their joining._

_Ruby had worried that when Belle and Emma became intimate she would be jealous. Again, she was surprised. Oh, there had been jealousy, but only that she had not been there to partake. Hearing Belle scream Emma's name had left Ruby struggling not to race back into that room and take both of her mates, _**repeatedly**_. She had never felt such arousal, the draw of her mates almost impossible to resist. But Ruby had resisted somehow, even when Emma had stripped her with her magic, when she went to warn them of Snow's meltdown in the middle of the diner._

_Snow had hurt her with the way she acted about her relationships, and the things she had said, but she knew that there must be more to the story than she was aware of. There had been some minor flirting with Snow before Charming had come into the picture, but that was a lifetime ago, little more than a distant memory. It was nothing that she had ever really considered because Snow just wasn't her type. _

_Ruby would get over what had been said, but she still worried for Emma. That was her mother who said those hateful things, and they had only just started to connect. Ruby knew that she would have to be supportive and just be there for Emma as much as she could. Friend or not, Snow had crossed a line, and she firmly stood on her mates side._

_The house had been another surprise, to say the least. That Emma had purchased it was surprising enough, but that she wanted to share it with both of them had Ruby very excited. She was already planning how she wanted the entertainment room to look. It needed to be something they would all enjoy, as she hoped that they would all get to spend a great deal of time together there as a family. Family that hopefully included Emma's son._

_But how would Henry take their new relationship? Would they have to have separate rooms, or would he know that the all share the master bedroom? Would they all share the master bedroom? What would Emma design? Would Regina help? Would she eventually come to live with them as well, leaving her distant mansion behind? Would Emma ever admit how she felt about Regina?_

The last thought had Ruby smiling to herself as she cleared away another empty table. Emma was stubborn, and would never be selfish about those she cared about and she certainly cared about Regina. Even when they had been fighting like cats and dogs, the blonde was always right there to take care of the former queen. And that didn't even consider the arousal that was thick enough to choke even someone as blind as David when Emma and Regina argued. It was almost painful to watch over the last few years as the two of them danced around their attraction to each other. At least Ruby knew she was looking forward to spending more time with Regina, and that she would at least get to know the brunette better. Even if she wasn't their mate, which was pretty unlikely, she had shown herself to be a very caring person to those who treated her properly.

Looking up at the door as it chimed yet again with another new person, Ruby was more than delighted to see that it was Belle. Checking the time, she knew that the diner would be empty in a few more minutes and then she and Belle would need to have a very important conversation.

Walking up and wrapping her arms around Belle's trim waist, Ruby nuzzled her jaw gently. Placing a soft kiss on her lips, she beamed at her mate, "Hello, gorgeous. How was your day at the library?"

Surprise flitted across Belle's face before she could school her features. Ruby was not often one for public displays of affection, and this was almost as open as she had even been. She looked almost blissful, and Belle had a great feeling about their talk tonight. And she was sure that when Emma joined them, things would only get better.

"Well, it started off with a lovely meeting with Robin." Belle said, rolling her eyes as she knew that Ruby would not be pleased at what he had tried to do. "So, I think it may be time for both of my mates to have a talk with him."


	15. Chapter 15

"Are you sure that you want to do this? You don't have to leave your position because you were bitten." Regina was struggling with how to react to Emma. She had asked for a leave of absence from her position at the Sherriff's office for the next two months.

"People are going to be freaking out about me having a magical accident that caused so much damage; and with everything that is going to happen with becoming a wolf, I think it would be for the best. I have already had it out with my mother today, not to mention Robin last night. And there was also the guy with Belle yesterday, and that was before we had even started the mating bond." Emma was disappointed in herself for the difficulties she was having with controlling her emotions and she heaved out a long sigh and added, "After I fix the damage, I think it would be best for me to take a break and get things under control. New instincts and all."

"As loathe as I am to admit it, you do raise a few strong points. If this is truly what you want and believe to be the best decision in this situation, I will back you on this and we will leave Mulan in charge, as you requested. I worry about what might happen should we leave David in charge in your absence, so I agree she would be the better choice." Regina did not attempt to hide the curl of her lip at the thought of David running the Sherriff's station. It would be sure to result in many confrontations between them should it happen.

Rising from the bench wordlessly, Emma held out a hand to Regina, who thought nothing of taking it. As they began to stroll back up the pier, she moved her hand up to grasp the crook of Emma's arm. "We can announce it tonight at the meeting, along with your other suggestions. Do you really believe people will be placated with the classes you are suggesting?"

With a small shrug and a crooked smile, Emma answered with a laugh, "People don't feel safe because they don't have confidence in their ability to defend themselves. Kara is a great teacher, and she is good at knowing how to push people to reach their potential. I think the classes will help people feel more secure and give them something to focus on, other than the magical stuff around here that they can't change."

"Very true. But how is it that you know so much about Kara's talents? If I am not mistaken, she was one of the instructors of my Black Knights?" Regina could not help but notice the blush that had begun to creep up the blonde's cheeks.

"Well, um, you see, uh, we were training together for a bit, and, uh, sheskindofmyex…" Emma mumbled the last part of her explanation, and Regina was unable to understand the mishmash of words.

"Pardon, dear? I didn't quite catch that last bit. It sounded like you said she was your ex." As Emma heaved a sigh, Regina was unsure if she was going to like the answer to her question. Her grip unconsciously tightened on Emma's arm, which did not go unnoticed by the Sheriff.

"Since everyone wants the whole story today and we do have a few minutes to kill before the meeting, I'll share." Leading them over to the bench out front of City Hall, they both sat as Emma began to speak. "Shortly after the curse broke, I realized that pretty much everyone here fought completely differently than anything I had ever dealt with before. I was not bad with a sword, given the whole Maleficent thing, but I was out of my depth. After everyone came back the second time, I ran into a couple of fights that I came closer to losing than I was comfortable with. So, I asked some of the former soldiers that are here, and they told me that Kara was the best instructor they had encountered. The curse had her working at the gym over on Maple, so I went to check her out. After we talked for a bit, we ended up sparing a little and in the end she agreed to train me in the fighting styles of the Enchanted Forest. After a couple of months, I was up to snuff and we started spending more time talking than training. We went out for drinks a couple times, and things just kind of went from there. We were together for about six months before things went south. From the get go I had told her I just wanted to keep things light, and to have some fun. She said she had no problem with that, so I didn't want to make a big deal about things with anyone. She started getting upset about how much time I was spending with Belle, Ruby, you, and Henry; and that I hadn't introduced her to my parents yet. She felt that I was ashamed of her and we started fighting all the time. The last time we fought, she ended up saying she loved me and I couldn't say it back. We ended it, but she was pretty hurt. We kept in touch though, and although it took a few more months, we ended up being friends again."

The litany of emotions that Regina felt through the brief explanation were playing out both in her eyes and across her face. Jealousy and anger were the two most prominent, although hurt was a very close second place. "I didn't know that you were together. When did all this happen?"

"We ended things about five months ago, and have been working on the friends thing for the last couple months." With a half shrug, Emma smiled. "I'm not upset about the end of the relationship. I know you are probably thinking you had some part in that, but you didn't do anything. I never saw it as something serious but she did, and that was our problem. I'm sorry if you are upset I didn't tell you, but I didn't think it was a big deal."

"Thank you for telling me about it now. I am a little hurt that you didn't tell me before, but I can understand why you didn't feel like you could trust me with this." As Regina moved to stand, Emma caught her elbow in a gentle grip.

"Regina, stop. I trust you more than almost anyone. Honestly, the only people I trust as much as you are Belle and Ruby. I honestly just never thought it was a big enough deal to talk about, to anyone. To me, it wasn't serious. It was just friends with benefits; but because she and I never talked about how we would handle things if feelings developed, she ended up hurt and I lost a friend for a while. I don't want that to happen again, especially not with you, and especially over something like this. Please, stay and talk with me for a bit?" Emma's pleading green eyes were honest, so Regina sat back down.

"I'm sorry. I'm not mad, truly. I'm just a little hurt that I never knew. I believed we were close enough to share something important like that. You were with someone for six months, not to mention training with one of my former guards; and I never knew. I never even knew about you buying a house! And now you have two mates whom I am sure you will share everything with." Still refusing to look at Emma, Regina wrapped her arms around her waist. _' I'm such a fool. We were close, but not like that. Why would she tell me about something personal like that? At least she has Belle and Ruby now that she can confide in.'_

"Hey, look at me." Slowly and gently, Emma turned Regina's face to look her in the eyes. "You didn't know about the house because no one did. You are the third person to know, after only Belle and Ruby, and that's because I asked them to make a home with me. Yes, they are my mates and I love them, but don't sell yourself short on that list. You are just as important to me. Belle and Ruby don't even know much about Kara, although I should probably tell them as well. They will probably be just as upset with me as you are." Frowning at the realization that she had unintentionally kept something from her mates, Emma forced her thoughts back to the conversation at hand. "They only knew I was seeing someone but it wasn't serious, and that it ended after a fight. For me, that is all there is to the story. You are really the first person that I trusted here, when everyone got their memories back. When the first curse ended, you were the only person who didn't change. You were still the same woman trying to do the best for Henry. Even when we were fighting, I could trust you to always be you and to love our son. You mean more to me than just a friend. You are family. And I'm sorry I hurt you with this."

Unable to form words at the heartfelt admission, Regina simply stared into Emma's eyes, looking for any deceit. Seeing her searching look, Emma chuckled and added, "I'm serious. I mean every word. Ok? You really do mean that much to me." Squeezing her hand gently, Emma pulled Regina into a gentle hug.

Softly smiling, Regina knew that Emma was telling the truth, and that she really did consider her part of her family. The thought made her both smile as well as caused tears to leak from her eyes. _'Family. We are family,'_ she thought, relaxing into the embrace that Emma held her in, breathing deeply of the scent she found there and calming even further.

Feeling Regina relax, Emma hugged her just a bit tighter before pulling back to wipe the tears from the former queen's face. "Now, how about we talk about something a little more fun; like say how I am going to have to buy the grocery store out of everything to stock this amazing kitchen I know you are designing for us?"

Closing the door to their room at the inn, Ruby pulled Belle into a tight hug. If Robin was interfering with Belle again, she would not hesitate to get involved. As much as she knew that Belle could take care of herself, she still felt the need to defend her mate. But she also knew that Emma would likely have some difficult controlling her instincts, so she would have to be tactful in how she approached the situation. Not to mention Regina was still unaware of Robin's antics.

Sighing and relaxing into the embrace, Belle nudged Ruby towards the bed that was quickly becoming more home than their apartment. _'Maybe Granny would let us take the bed when we move into the new house this weekend?'_ she wondered absently.

Pacing the room, Ruby was torn on which topic to address first. Knowing that the most important thing in her life was her mates, Ruby knew she would have to let Belle know why she had done what she did, and what she had realized since she had bitten Emma. Robin could wait.

Taking a seat, Belle watched for a few moments as Ruby paced the room in front of her. As Ruby sank down to her knees in front of Belle and wrapped her arms around Belle's legs, Ruby locked watery eyes with her.

"Before we get into anything to do with the outside world, there is something I need to say. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't think about how becoming a wolf and being with me completely, was your choice. I'm sorry I let my own fears and feelings on being a wolf cloud everything. It always has been and always will be your choice what happens in your life, and I had no right to take that choice away from you for so long. Baby, I'm so sorry." Half sobbing into Belle's lap, Ruby continued to repeat how sorry she was.

"Honey, shhh. It's ok. Shhh." Wrapping her arms around Ruby's shoulders, she gently rubbed circles on her back. "I know you were just trying to protect me. I know you never meant to hurt me or take away my choices. I'm sorry too. You are nothing like him, and I never should have said that to you."

As Ruby calmed, Belle couldn't help but smile. "And besides, I am on my way to becoming a wolf now, aren't I? It may have taken longer than I would have liked, but we are both where we should be now, and that's the important thing."

"Yeah. It just took Emma putting me in my place you, for me to get over my own issues, and see what I was doing to you, and to us." Giving a short laugh, Ruby sniffled again, before drying her tears. "Speaking of Emma, how are you feeling about all of this? I know it's a lot to take in. There are so many things that are going to change for us now."

"Honestly, I am a little nervous; but overall, it feels just so right. I'm excited to spend some time with Regina and see if she is our other mate, and finally being with Emma is amazing." Looking down, Belle failed to hide the blush staining her cheeks. "I may have had a bit of a crush on her for a while, so things have kind of worked out rather well there."

Laughing deep in her chest, Ruby couldn't help but grin at the soft admission from her mate. "You aren't the only one in that boat, babe. I may or may not have had a crush on her myself, since before the curse broke."

"So, you aren't upset? That I was attracted to someone else?" The hint of fear in Belle's blue eyes brought Ruby's laughter up short.

"So long as you aren't upset at me for the same thing. Babe, I would never be upset with you because of how you feel. I love you. And that means I want you to be happy. Loving Emma was something that we both found very easy to do. It's just that now we know why that is. She is our mate. It was literally meant to be that we all feel the same way for each other." Wiping the tears from Belle's eyes, Ruby pulled her into another embrace before trying to diffuse the tension in the room. "Besides, she's our mate, and if we weren't attracted to her, I think there would be a problem."

Laughing at the grin on her love's face, Belle felt all of the fears she had about Ruby's reaction melt away. "So, you are happy about everything then? Even Regina?"

"I was so unbelievably happy when I found out you and I are True Loves; and now, it's just grown that much more. If Regina is really our mate as well, then I'm sure my happiness will only grow even more. I have cared about her since I met her. I don't think even in the heat of battle I could have truly harmed her. And since the first curse broke, and I have gotten a chance to see the real Regina, I have come to appreciate her more than I thought I ever would. Not to mention, I now have mates, a pack, and True Loves. We have a family, and even if she isn't our mate, I would still consider her part of it. This is everything I have ever wanted, and so much more." Smiling softly, Ruby hoped Belle understood what she was trying to say.

"I couldn't have said it better, honey." Placing a gentle kiss to Ruby's lips, Belle knew they needed to discuss Robin, but she wanted to wait for Emma to come home before doing so. "Since we should probably wait for our mate to return to us to discuss our newest annoyance, what do you think we should do with our time until then?"

Noting the hungry look in her mate's eyes, Ruby's eyes flashed yellow in response. "Well, since we just finally had a chance to talk about our fight from the other night, and I do believe we have just made up; maybe we should celebrate that?"

"Oh, I think we most definitely should."


	16. Chapter 16

Rounding the corner, Robin quickly stepped back at the sight presented to him. Regina was wrapped in the arms of the princess, smiling and laughing. They both seemed to be unaware of their very public location, or the inappropriateness of their intimate embrace.

_'I will not stand for this! She is mine! She will not fall into this perversion or for that bitch's charms. She's MINE!'_ was the last thought Robin had before storming around the corner.

"What the hell is going on here?!" he demanded of both women; although, it was clearly directed more at Emma, given the glare he pinned on her. Emma was standing before Regina could register the anger coming from the former outlaw.

"Robin, what's wrong? What has you so upset?" Regina immediately stood, moving around Emma towards him.

_'He had better change his behaviour, or we will put him in his place. He will not harm her.'_ Moving to still stand slightly in front of Regina protectively, Emma found she agreed with her wolf's reaction. Just as when he had gone to see Belle previously, Robin looked livid, his body language screaming danger, directed solely towards her and the woman behind her. Emma didn't know if Regina was her third mate, but the mayor was family and she would never stand for anyone, let alone family being hurt. And right then, Robin appeared to be a very big, direct threat. "We were just talking about some intense stuff and needed to hug it out. No big deal."

Ignoring Regina, Robin stepped around her and got right into Emma's personal space, jabbing his finger roughly into the middle of her chest. "You will keep your perverted hands off of her. You will not attempt to seduce her to your immoral behaviours, and you will stay away from her. Do you understand me?!"

Ignoring the spittle that flew from his lips, and the impending bruise to her sternum, Emma could feel her instincts rise, demanding that she not back down from his challenge, and defend Regina from the pain he was clearly causing her. The look of hurt that had crossed her face when Robin had stepped around her and ignored her question was quickly covered by her Mayoral mask, but Emma could scent her hurt flowing from her in waves. Feeling her power pool in her chest, Emma let out a deep growl, not backing away from the challenge he issued and forcing Robin to remain focused on her.

Regina, from her position behind Robin, watched as Emma's eyes began to glow a vibrant yellow, and when she spoke the former queen could see that her canine teeth had slightly elongated. It should not have been possible for Emma to have her wolf so close to the surface, especially as wolf's time had passed and she had not had her first transition, yet. As the growl built, Regina truly feared that Robin may have crossed a line she could not pull Emma back from with as close as the two were standing. But the words that came from Emma's lips left the former queen nothing short of speechless in their wake.

"First off, you don't get to call me or my mates perverted or immoral. We have done nothing but love each other, and that is none of your business in any case. Secondly, Regina is my family, and I will not stay away from her for you, or anyone else. If she does not want me around, or should any affection, friendly or otherwise, make her uncomfortable, I fully expect her to tell me such, and I will respect only her wishes. And third, she is a smart, accomplished, beautiful woman who is more than capable of deciding who she does and does not spend her time with, and exactly how she spends that time, regardless of your input! Do you understand that?" Even as the words had left her mouth, Emma hoped she had not crossed the line with Regina in saying them. Unable to resist forcing what her wolf perceived as a weaker opponent, Emma took a step into Robin, forcing him to step back sharply.

Unfazed at the show of dominance, Robin continued his rant. "You may have dragged Belle into your depravity, but you will not have the chance to corrupt any other woman's sensibilities in this town, if I have any say in it. Especially not those of my soul mate!" Robin puffed up at this statement, not realizing that he had offended both women with his declaration.

"Corrupt my sensibilities?! Please tell me you don't seriously believe that, Robin." Stepping back into his line of vision, Regina positioned herself slightly behind but still beside Emma, and looked for any sign of regret for his statement. Finding none, she was shocked at the anger she saw in its stead. "Emma has her mates, her true loves. The relationship we have beyond that is just as she has said: family. And I will not oust my family, not for you or anyone else, in any realm, ever. This is not the Enchanted Forest, and women have as much right and say as any man here. We do not need those that consider themselves royalty, or men in general, for that matter to protect us from ourselves."

As Robin started to move towards Regina, hand extended to grasp her arm, Emma immediately felt her protectiveness surge to new heights, her wolf pushing harder than ever before to the front of her mind._ 'He wants to take her from us. To take all of our mates! We must protect them.'_

"Back off!" The words came out guttural and slightly slurred around the lengthened teeth in her mouth, as the thoughts from the wolf continued to bounce around her mind. Emma continued to growl loudly, holding her arms slightly away from her body, both as a show of power and to shield Regina from the irate man in front of them.

Noting the posture and clear danger should Robin remain, Regina knew she needed to intervene as soon as possible. "Robin, you need to leave. We can speak later, but you are out of line. I am not some possession or some airhead damsel you need to guide. I was Queen and ruled a kingdom on my own. I don't need anyone to guide me in my life, especially with how that turned out in the past. No one can sway me to do anything without my consent, any longer." Sneering the last words, Regina placed a hand gently on Emma's shoulder, worried that she may react to any sudden movement or touch, but needing to calm her down. Thankfully, Emma did not react outwardly, although the tension in her shoulder released under Regina's hand, as her wolf instincts calmed slightly.

"Yeah Robin, time for you to leave. Or do I have to walk you out again, like the last time you visited Belle at the library and refused to leave?" Smirking around her fangs that had yet to disappear, Emma saw the recognition in Robin's eyes of the situation. He had not spoken of his last encounter with Belle to Regina, and Emma had guessed that, calling his bluff. But he refused to back down to this princess and her disgusting advances towards what he considered his, so he pressed his luck as far as he could.

"Actually, I paid Belle another visit just this afternoon. She didn't appear to be in the best mood when I was there. Have you not been able to keep your supposed mates happy, Princess?" he asked, a mocking grin curved his lips.

Hearing Robin taunt Emma, Regina knew he had in fact crossed that very dangerous line, very clearly now. She waved her hand, sending him back to the forest in a puff of purple smoke before Emma could move, not wanting to deal with a deadly fight between her supposed soul mate and her family. She would deal with the arrogant man later, but now she needed to get Emma back under control.

As Robin disappeared, Emma felt her control snap. She felt the urges of the wolf take over, despite it not being the full moon, or the fact that the sun hadn't set yet. Snarling, she lunged forward, swiping at the smoke even as it vanished from the air. Growling loudly in frustration before taking several deep breaths, the wolf surveyed the sensation of being in control for the first time. Turning to Regina, Emma and her wolf counterpart could sense the apprehension in the woman standing before them. Not understanding why its mate was uncomfortable around her, the wolf let out a soft whine of confusion.

As the blonde turned back to her, Regina could see that it was not Emma she was facing, but her wolf. Unsure of how the wolf would react to her, Regina waited with tense anxiety, her magic at the ready, should she need it. But once again, she was shocked by the blonde, and also oddly very aroused.

Slowly moving forward, eyes still a vibrant yellow, Emma stepped bodily into Regina before nuzzling her jaw gently with a soft grumble. "You are safe now. We won't let him hurt you. We would never let anyone hurt you."

Coming unfrozen from her shock, Regina felt her body begin to relax at the gruffly rumbling words the blonde had spoken, and the soothing scent of the blonde. _'Why would she react that fiercely to Robin being upset? She has her mates, so why would she become so defensive so quickly? And why does her wolf want to sooth me with such an intimate gesture?'_ Regina thought, feeling confused. Bringing her hands up to rest on Emma's shoulders, Regina pushed her back slightly to look into the wolf's eyes as she asked, "You wish to protect me as well? As Emma has always done? Why?"

Tilting her head, the wolf regarded the regal woman before her, thinking, _'Humans can be so obtuse.'_ "You are pack, and more. You are…" Stepping back, the wolf shook her head, allowing herself to fall back to her human state. "Ahem, you are family Regina; I already told you that, my silly queen." Smiling sheepishly, Emma shrugged before rubbing the back of her neck, realizing she had still made claim on Regina by calling her 'her silly queen'.

_'She doesn't need to know about that yet. Even if Robin is an ass, he might be her happy ending, and we can't take that from her.'_ The wolf simply growled sullenly back at Emma's thoughts. "And, uh, sorry for the nuzzling thing. Still trying to get my instincts under control, and apparently that's a comforting thing between wolves or something. You know, when one of their family members is upset. But, uh, at least she really likes you?"

Unsure of how to take the entire situation, Regina simply smiled back at the blonde, before gesturing towards the building, as she said, "Don't worry about it, dear. Shall we head in to set up for the meeting? It's almost time to get started." She would have to think over everything that had happened today, but she felt better having met Emma's wolf, and knowing she was accepted.

She was still concerned though about her own reactions to Emma's protective streak going in to overdrive where she was concerned. _'Didn't I just berate Robin for almost the exact same thing just last night?' _But briefly thinking on it, Robin had told her to stay back, before he had even found a threat, implying that she was weak and needed his protection and direction. Emma had only reacted when provoked, or when Robin had made to move towards her. Even in that case, she never tried to control Regina with her protection, only guarded her. Maybe Emma becoming a wolf, and being mated to Ruby and Belle wouldn't be such a bad thing. She had missed having those around her who she felt connected with, supported her, but did not try to control her. She really would have to think about all of it later.

"Sure. Let's get this thing out of the way so we can get back to the fun stuff. Like a shopping list and floor plans for our new home." Laughing, Emma moved aside for Regina to lead the way, playfully bowing at the waist. "After you, my queen." Realizing both her use of "our home" and "my queen" again, Emma began to blush deeply. _'You just had to go and make me see it didn't you wolfy?'_

As Regina passed, Emma's hand found the small of Regina's back. Neither mentioned it and neither moved away from the contact either as they entered the building, both content with the contact.

Fingers tangled deeply into brown locks, as Ruby trailed open mouthed kisses down Belle's neck following the curve of her collarbones. A breathy moan filled the air as Ruby licked and sucked at the mating mark she had made just the previous night, turning the skin a light red that would stay after their love making. _'Our mate._' Her wolf sighed in her mind. Moving lower, Ruby captured a hardened peak in her warm mouth, sucking gently before blowing cool air across it.

Tugging the long locks to guide Ruby's mouth to her other nipple, Belle groaned again, encouraging Ruby to continue her actions, before switching her back again to her other breast. She loved how much care Ruby paid to her reactions, fixating solely on her pleasure and forgetting her own without Belle's prompting. Ruby truly did love her, and loved showing her by worshiping her body exactly how she enjoyed it.

Nipping, then soothing it with her tongue, Ruby followed the path that Belle directed her on chest, continuing to trace her fingertips over the curve of her love's hips. She had always loved pleasing Belle, and Belle had always relished having control in the bedroom. Although it was a bit of a surprise the first time Belle had shyly brought it up, Ruby had thoroughly adored Belle's commanding nature coming through, and they had found they both enjoyed the roles they found themselves in.

An errant though crossed each of their minds regarding how Emma would fit into that dynamic, but it was quickly forgotten by both women as they concentrated on the time alone with their mate. They needed to reconnect, and to assure the other that they still love one another, despite the recent changes in their relationship. Tugging again, Belle began to guide Ruby to move lower, more than ready for her love to satisfy her.

Following the unspoken direction, Ruby quickly shifted down Belle's body, bringing her face level with the apex of her love's thighs. Inhaling the thick scent as she gently nosed the trimmed auburn curls, Ruby's eyes briefly glowed yellow before she ran her tongue over the entirety of Belle's core. Groans from both women filled the air as Belle tugged Ruby's mouth back to exactly where she needed her most, concentrating Ruby's tongue on her very sensitive nub. Ruby eagerly followed the unspoken command sucking it roughly, before lapping gently to soothe the intensity of the sensations.

"Gods, YES! Ruby that feels so good. Mmmm." Belle was never timid about being verbal in bed, something that turned Ruby on almost painfully. "Mmmm, lower Ruby, I want to feel your tongue inside me."

Drinking greedily at the arousal she followed to it source, Ruby traced her tongue down to Belle's entrance before thrusting in as deeply as she could. The flavour exploded over her tongue, pulling a sigh from them both. Curling her tongue, Ruby began a slow withdraw before extending her tongue as deeply into Belle's wet heat as she could, then repeating the motions. Nudging the sensitive bundle of nerves with her nose, Ruby continued to slowly tease her love.

"Just like that. So good." The half moaned response from Belle shot arousal straight to the apex of Ruby's thighs, causing them to quiver. "You like tasting me, don't you?"

At Ruby's whimpered reply, Belle tightened her hold on her hair, pulling her closer. "Good girl. Yes, I know how much you like it. Almost as much as I like letting you taste me. Now stop teasing, and make me come in that talented mouth of yours."

Not needing any further encouragement, Ruby began devouring Belle as if her life depended on pleasing the woman. Shifting her focus up to the bundle of nerves she had previously teased, Ruby began sucking and flicking roughly, earning a keening groan of pleasure from Belle. Shifting one hand up, Ruby immediately plunged two fingers into Belle's wet heat, stroking the textured patch of sensitive flesh inside her, driving her pleasure higher.

Belle's hips rocked unconsciously into Ruby's fingers, her breathing coming in shallow pants. "God, yes. That's it. That's it Ruby. Don't stop."

Speeding up her pace, Ruby whimpered her need to Belle, knowing that her love would understand the permission she sought. "Yes, my wolf, touch yourself. I want to hear you come as you please me. Make yourself come Ruby." Ruby had only once made the mistake of touching herself without Belle's permission. She had now been able to sit properly for days after the hours of teasing she had endured before being allowed to come, she was so tender.

Snaking her other hand between her own thighs, Ruby began to rub hard circles around her clit; mirroring the actions with her tongue on Belle, and never losing pace with her fingers plunging into her mate. Moaning at all of the sensations, Ruby drew closer to the edge of orgasm, and began to speed her motions.

"God, yes, yes, YES!" Belle's chant became louder, her grip on Ruby's hair tightening, her hips rocking harder with each stroke of the talented tongue, fingers plunging roughly inside, until she cried out, "RUBY!" Hearing Belle scream her name as she came, Ruby pressed directly on both of their clits, triggering her own orgasm while she drew Belle's out. As Belle ground down on Rudy's tongue, Ruby slipped her fingers down to tease her own entrance, enjoying the wetness that her orgasm had produced.

When her breathing had slowed, Ruby crawled back up to hover over Belle, placing gentle kisses along Belle's jaw, cheeks, and nose. "I love you, my mate, my love, and I promise to always make sure you know exactly how much."

"I love you too Ruby Lucas, and I always will."

Curling up together on top of the blankets, both women relaxed into the forgiving embrace of their mate, while they waited for their other mate to join them.

Hovering just on the edge of sleep, both women suddenly jerked awake as they felt a tug in their chests. It was a mix of fear, pain, and a great deal of anger. Sharing a look, both jumped from the bed and began to dress as fast as they could, knowing that something was definitely not right and that Emma needed them, now.


	17. Chapter 17

"What caused the wave?"

"Who is attacking us now?"

"How are you going to stop the new threat?"

"I bet the Evil Queen is behind this!"

"Why haven't you arrested her yet?"

"Lock her up!"

The ongoing chorus of barely intelligible shouts continued for several minutes before Emma could even begin. She had simply stood up in front of the group and opened her mouth to speak, and the onslaught had begun. Finally reaching her breaking point when she had heard shouts that contained "Evil Queen", Emma raised her voice over the din and barked out a command. "SILENCE!"

Every jaw in the hall dropped at the power they felt at the command. For that was exactly what it was, a command, and each person present felt compelled to comply. Slowly the audience sat, waiting for Emma to begin the meeting properly. The two royals sitting behind the blonde remained frozen, watching Emma from when she had approached the podium, until her command had been shouted; and they saw that her entire demeanour had drastically changed. She had approached with her usual laid back swagger, confident but relaxed. Now she stood ramrod straight, shoulders back, every inch of her posture commanding respect, her royal heritage clear to all. And the effect on each was vastly different.

David was beaming, beyond proud at the commanding and powerful presence that his daughter was displaying in front of the crowd that he considered his subjects. It was the second time that day that he had been struck by how she was beginning to show her heritage despite being raised in another realm. She was every inch the daughter he had envisioned taking over the throne to their kingdom.

Regina, however, was shifting uncomfortably in her seat, pressing her thighs tightly together. _'What the hell is going on?! Why am I reacting like this?! It's just Emma controlling the crowd. Taking charge. Acting like she is in control… Damn it! Why is this affecting me this much?! It's not like we haven't spent more than enough time together for me to get over this. Why is this happening again now?'_ The arousal that Regina was trying desperately to ignore only continued to heighten as Emma began directing the meeting.

"First, Regina had nothing to do with the wave from last night. She has actually volunteered to over-see the repair efforts." Holding a hand up to halt the grumblings that began, Emma continued. "The wave last night was a magical accident, my magical accident. As you are well aware, I have not lived in the Enchanted Forest, and have only been learning to use my natural magic for a short time. I apologize for the damages and for the panic that it caused for many of you, as I was the cause of the wave, independent of any other magic user in town. Now, at the back of the hall there is a sign-up sheet that I would like for everyone to use, whose property was damaged by the wave. Please list the damages that occurred and I will be by within the next few days to repair the damages. As I will be doing the repairs with magic, Regina will be supervising and assisting me to ensure that there are no further issues, as stated before. Additionally, as we have seen how easily your homes can be affected, there is a second sign-up sheet that is open to everyone who would like magical wards placed on their homes to prevent magical damages in the future. This is a town with magic, which I am still learning to use and although not very likely, should anything occur in the future, I would feel better if you allowed us to ensure your safety."

Pausing, Emma waited for the murmuring of the crowd to quiet down again before continuing. "Finally, as several people expressed to David last night, there are a large number of you who feel that you should have access to weapons to protect yourselves, your families, and your homes from danger, magical or otherwise. We are not discouraging you from protecting yourselves, but we will not be allowing weapons to be handled by those that have not had proper training. As many of you have some experience with the typical weapons of the Enchanted Forest, we have arranged for open training to anyone who is interested under my good friend Kara's supervision. Kara?" Emma motioned for the fiery redhead to stand.

Grinning, Kara stood, swaying her hips unashamedly, before taking a place directly in front of Emma. "Thank you Princess. As Emma has stated, myself, as well as Mulan, will be offering training classes to anyone interested at the high school every Tuesday and Thursday from 6pm to 9pm, and an extended class on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. We will be covering everything from hand to hand combat and self-defence, to sword fighting and archery, to emergency preparedness, and defence against magical attacks. We will work with groups based on skill level, and what your desires are to learn about. Everyone is welcome, and we hope to see you all there." Turning briefly to smile widely at Emma, Kara moved to take her seat again in the front row, throwing an obvious wink to the oblivious Sherriff.

Regina caught the gesture and was shocked at how angered she was by it. _'I know she is her ex, but Emma has made it quite clear that they are done as anything more than friends. She has her mates now. Kara should take the hint already and back-off what clearly isn't hers.'_

"We hope that by offering the classes, you will feel more confident about being able to take care of yourselves and your families, if something were to happen in the future." Pausing again, Emma could see several of the audience members were not pleased with the way the meeting was going, although the majority seemed to be happy about the opportunities to feel more secure. Scenting the air, Emma could smell that the general audience at large was calming at the plans being laid out for them. But there was another scent in the air, much stronger than the others, and was much closer; the heady scent of arousal that was mouth-wateringly tempting. It called to Emma, drawing up her new wolf instincts, causing her body to instantly focus on the desire suddenly racing through her system, a painful ache developing between her own legs.

Shutting her eyes, Emma focused on the smell of the audience and breathed deeply, hoping to distract herself from the alluring scent. It did not work, and the scent continued to dominate the others, making it hard to concentrate on anything else. She knew if she opened her eyes, they would be a vibrant yellow, and her transformation would be revealed before she was ready. _'What the hell?! Someone is finding this arousing? God they smell so good. Where is that coming from?'_ Emma became lost in the scent, turning her head towards the source. Opening her eyes, Emma was looking directly at Regina. _'MINE!'_ resounded through Emma's thoughts, both human and wolf. _"'Wait. Where did that come from?'_

Seeing the almost neon yellow eyes of the Sheriff, Regina knew she was being caught up in her instincts, but trying to fight it desperately. Moisture flooded Regina's now soaked underwear, making Emma visibly twitch on stage. She could see how Emma's grip had tightened on the podium, and the way she seemed to struggle to remain where she was.

Regina opened her mouth to speak but surprisingly, Emma turned back to the crowd, keeping her eyes closed for a moment. Clearing her throat, Emma continued in a slightly wavering voice.

"The final issue that we will be addressing tonight will be my leave of absence from the position of Sheriff for approximately the next two months. This is so that I can devote my time to learning better control over my magic, so that we can hopefully avoid any further accidents. I will be leaving Mulan as acting Sheriff and David will continue to act as Deputy. We will also be looking for volunteers to help out around the station and the sign-up sheet for those positions is at the back of the room as well." Finally feeling calmer, Emma opened her eyes to look over the crowd.

"Why isn't the Prince in charge while you are off playing with your magic?" Came a loud and slightly slurred voice from the back corner. It sounded like one of the dwarves, but Emma couldn't be sure which one.

"Yeah, and why should we trust the Evil Queen to help put protection spells on our houses? What's to say she doesn't put something up that will turn us into gnomes?" Came another voice from the crowd.

Hearing the distrust from the crowd while her instincts were running high, Emma struggled to remain calm. David, who had been shocked and hurt at the surprise announcement, began smiling broadly towards the voice that had asked for him to be in charge of the station while Emma was off, not noticing that his daughter was having trouble remaining calm.

Regina, however, was quick to step up beside Emma and place a firm grip on her forearm, taking the lead for a moment. Emma struggled for a moment as the intensity of the scent increased, but at the touch, calmed instantly.

"I will not be placing the wards on the homes, nor doing any of the repair spells. It will be Sheriff Swan that will be performing all magic, but over several days, and under my supervision. As she will be expending a great deal of her magic in doing the repairs and wards unassisted, she will not be able to do this in a single day. As this will be such a large project, Sheriff Swan has asked me to supervise her to ensure she does not overtax her abilities, as this could lead to another incident. Additionally, as I am sure that my word will not be sufficient for everyone, perhaps the Blue Fairy would be willing to verify that any and all wards placed on the homes are safe and only cast by light magic?" Smirking towards the back corner of the room, Regina knew that Blue would never publically refuse to check on the safety of the townspeople, but that she would be overworked for at least the next week checking every single ward placed. And Regina knew that Blue hated to be away from the other fairies; micromanaging their daily routines was what she lived for.

Not many people had been able to observe the Blue Fairy before the curse, but Regina, with the help of her mirrors, had watched how Blue had been directly involved with every wish granted, and especially every wish that was refused. Regina may have been Queen, but she knew how to delegate. Blue had to be consulted on each wish, and often preferred to grant them herself, if possible. The fairy was truly a control freak, wanting only those she deemed 'good' to receive the fairy's blessing. Having to be away from her point of control and power would drive Blue's frustrations to an all-time high, and Regina could not help but enjoy tormenting her.

"That will not be a problem in the least, your Majesty. I would be glad to verify the wards to anyone who asks." Blue replied with a tight-lipped smile, clearly not thrilled with the prospect of additional work.

"Wonderful. Now as for the questions regarding the Prince being left in charge during Emma's leave, I am sure there is a very logical explanation. Emma?" Regina had maintained her grip on Emma's arm throughout her brief address to the crowd, relaxing only enough to gently rub her thumb in small circles, hoping to relax the Sherriff. As she felt the tension leaving Emma at the gesture, she knew that she would have to turn the floor back over to her.

Lost in the scent of Regina, Emma missed the entire interaction between Regina and the crowd. "Hmm?"

Seeing the blonde's distraction, Regina nodded to the crowd before stating quietly "Your reason for leaving Mulan in charge while you are gone?"

Shaking the fog from her mind, Emma seemed to refocus on the meeting she was supposed to be conducting. "Oh. Right. Yeah. So, I am leaving Mulan in charge instead of David for a few reasons. One, David has a baby at home and we all know how hard that can be. And two, Mulan is impartial to everyone in this town. She doesn't have history with many of the people here, and no matter the history she does have, she is always by the book. Regina is the Mayor and has to work closely with the Sheriff's department. We are all aware of the history between my family and her, and for the sake of the town while I am off, I think it would be best to keep everyone at a bit of a distance." Grinning at the crowd, Emma attempted to play the situation off with a bit of humour, having resumed her usual mannerisms after her momentary distraction.

A few stray chuckles rang through the crowd, but were quickly silenced by the disapproving glare of the Prince in question, who crossed his arms over his chest, before beginning to pout. David had been so proud of Emma for the way she was handling the meeting, but he had had no idea about her taking a leave, or that Mulan was being made acting Sheriff in Emma's place, and he was hurt that she felt he couldn't be fair. His pride was winning out over his logic, and he was struggling not to contest the decision publically. He was the Prince, after all, and her father. That should count for something in his opinion.

"Are there any other concerns that anyone would like to address, before we wrap this up for tonight?" Emma watched the crowd carefully. She knew not everyone would be happy with her decisions, but it was for the best if the town were to keep running smoothly while she was off dealing with becoming a wolf.

"What were you doing that caused the wave?" Came a slightly accented female voice from the back. It sounded vaguely like when Snow had tried mimicking Belle's accent over dinner one night. It would not surprise Emma if it were her mother trying to out her for becoming a wolf, given how she had taken the news earlier that day.

Emma had hoped to avoid this question, as it would not only call out the fact that she had found her mate, but also bring up that she had been bitten by the wolf. She knew how the townspeople had reacted to Ruby in the past with regards to her wolf, and did not want to give them anything else to worry about, especially since they had no reason to. Quickly, a surprising voice came from the back to redirect the crowd, from the same general area.

"I don't think that is something we need to be worrying about right now. We should focus on the repairs and protection of our homes, and with those interested in joining the classes being offered, doing so." Snow had captured the attention of everyone in the room when she spoke, many accepting her word before Emma's, as she was the Princess they had followed for years. "So please everyone, sign-up on the lists at the back here, and we can get started on putting everything right tomorrow."

The crowd immediately broke up at Snow's dismissal, many making their way to the tables at the back or over to speak with the Princess. _'Why am I not surprised they take her word over ours or that she would try to start something to take charge like that? I am just the person they call Saviour after all.' _Emma grumbled in her mind.

Rolling her eyes at her own thoughts, Emma turned to Regina, who had yet to let go of her arm, still rubbing small circles with her thumb. "Thanks for stepping in back there. I lost myself in the instincts again for a minute." Blushing at the thought of the scent that had been the cause of her distraction, Emma cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Not a problem, dear. You did very well up to that point and given how difficult I have heard it is to control those instincts, I am sure you are doing a wonderful job." Regina tried to ignore the blush that was attempting to rise to her own cheeks as she remembered the commanding presence Emma had during her initial presentation to the town. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I am just going to speak with my secretary and have her cancel my meetings for the rest of the week, so we can get the repairs and wards completed."

"Uh, yeah, sure, no problem. I'll just go talk to David, and make sure he has your apology ready. Oh, and thanks again for not making him do it publicly."

"You are welcome, dear." Watching Regina walk away, the sway of her hips transfixing her, Emma shook her head again, attempting to make herself focus. Her thoughts and instincts were running haywire through her mind and she could feel a headache starting at the base of her skull.

"Hey David. Sorry for springing this on you." Seeing the stony look he gave her, Emma knew that he was upset with her decision. "You understand, right?"

"Not really, no." Crossing his arms, David stood to his fullest height. "You should have left me in charge, or at least spoken to me beforehand. I helped run a kingdom, Emma. I can handle running the station for a few weeks."

"Look, I hadn't decided until just before the meeting that I would be taking time off. I need to get used to all the changes that I am going through right now, and it's not easy when every little thing is setting my instincts off. This is a lot to process, and things are going to change a lot for me really quickly, so I am going to need the time, and not need to worry something is going to happen because you and Regina can't work together. You are supposed to be giving her a written apology tonight because you were accusing her, again, of something she didn't do. I don't want to have to worry that you are going to accuse her of everything that happens while I am off; and I want you to still be working when I get back, not behind bars yourself or burn to crisp. I did what I though was best for everyone."

Hearing that Emma had put the town before anything brought back David's sense of pride, and seeing that Emma was truly upset, David relaxed his stance before pulling an envelope from his back pocket. "You are right. It's about what's best for the town, and Mulan is unbiased with everyone. I did do the apology up, like you asked. And I'm sorry for over-reacting. I know you only had the best interests of everyone in mind when you made the decision."

"So we're good? No hard feelings."

"We are fine. I'll just go drop this off to Regina quickly before I meet up with your mother." David pulled Emma into a stiff hug before walking off towards the brunette.

As Emma waited at the front of the hall for people to finish signing up on the lists at the back of the room, she began to feel strange.

It was similar to how she had felt the other night after she'd been bitten, the burning sensation spreading through her body, causing her to begin to sweat. The loud din of the meeting hall was hurting Emma's ears and her sense of smell was going into overdrive. Although her eyes had returned to their normal color and her fangs had vanished from earlier, her senses were still painfully alert throughout the meeting and had started to become increasingly painful since Regina had walked away. A sense of vertigo began to seep in, the room feeling like it was tilting slightly under her feel. Whimpering pitifully, Emma attempted to cover her ears and muffle the sounds, taking a seat off to the side of the room.

David and Regina, who had both been speaking quietly regarding the apology, immediately noticed the change in the blonde. David reacted first, quickly crossing to her. "Emma, are you ok?"

Whimpering again, Emma pressed harder at her ears when she heard David's voice so close. "Too loud." The scents of all the townspeople began to swirl around her, adding nausea to the pain and dizziness. David's cologne was too strong. The hum of the people talking. The scratching of pen on paper. "Too much."

The pain increased, causing Emma to begin panting, tears leaking from her eyes, her body tensing. It felt as if her head were trying to split itself open. Pulses of pain began to rip down her spine, making her twitch slightly in her seat. Her jaw felt as if it had been injected with liquid fire.

Regina finally made it to Emma and David, catching the pained words and the tears beginning to drip down Emma's face. Kneeling down, Regina immediately checked her temperature at her forehead with her wrist. Although Emma had begun to sweat, she was ice cold to the touch. "Emma, I need you to listen to me." Speaking softly, barely a murmur, Regina waited for Emma to look at her. "What are you feeling right now?"

As Regina's scent washed over her again, Emma felt herself relax slightly, almost beginning to feel drunk with the relief from the pain she felt. Inhaling deeply again, Emma leaned towards the source of the scent before opening her eyes. Wincing at the bright light, Emma looked into Regina's concerned eyes and tried to focus enough to see properly. "Everything is too much. Too...intense. I'm so hot, but I feel cold too. And it hurts, so much. My head, my jaw, my back." Whimpering again, Emma tightly closed her eyes and leaned forward until her head rested on Regina's shoulder. "It's all too much. 'Cept you. You smell nice. You make it not hurt. Mmm." Nuzzling into the crook of Regina's neck, Emma's voice had taken on an almost childlike quality, though the words were notably slurred towards the end.

"David, we need to get her to Ruby now. I don't know what's happening exactly, but it must be related to the transformation." Regina began to absently run her fingers through the hair at Emma's temple, attempting to sooth her pain.

"Why do we need to take her to Ruby? We don't know what's going on, and if she is in pain, we should take her to the hospital." David protested, not understanding how Ruby would be able to help.

"If I am correct, and it's related to the transformation, there is nothing that the hospital can do for her. Ruby is already a wolf, and so is Granny. They should be able to help her more than anyone right now."

"Fine. I will get the cruiser and drive her over there as soon as everyone clears out of here. Let me have her." Uncomfortable with the way Emma had curled into Regina, David tried to pull Emma back towards his own shoulder. Feeling her body being pulled away from her source of comfort, Emma let out a weak growl and pushed back towards the soft scent and gentle hand that was soothing her. Emma had almost curled her body onto Regina's lap, and was grumbling contentedly at the soothing fingers in her hair.

"David, she can't wait for these people to leave. Something could be seriously wrong, and she would suffer the entire time." Looking down at Emma's pale form, and back to Regina's almost panicked expression, David was torn. "She needs to get there now. I give you my word, I won't harm her. She's…family. I just want her to be alright."

_'What the hell don't I know?! I'm missing something here for Regina to say that, especially about Emma. But Emma clearly wants Regina to be the one to help her.'_ Seeing Emma shiver, David knew he had no choice. "Get her there now. If she gets any worse, or they don't know how to help, promise me you will take her to the hospital. I'm trusting you this time, so don't make me regret it."

"I promise I will take care of her." Regina nodded once, looking back down at the woman almost cradled in her arms before vanishing in a cloud of purple smoke with Emma still safely curled in her arms.


	18. Chapter 18

"Damn it, Charming, what happened?! Where did they go?!" Snow rushed to him from across the room. She had only seen Regina cradling Emma in her arms before they vanished, too busy with the citizens who were still concerned.

"Emma was sick. Regina took her to Ruby and Granny. They know the most about what she is going through, and we thought it would be best to get her there now." David shrugged, still stunned at everything he had experienced that day. "And Regina knows the most about magic, so she should be there, too."

"How could you send her back to _them_?!" Snow screeched, gathering the attention of the few remaining people in the hall. "They probably did something else to her now, and that's why she's sick. She was even cuddled up to Regina of all people! She's probably in on it with _them_!"

"Snow, take a deep breath, and lower your voice. What are you talking about?" David may not have been the most quick-witted man in town, but he was no idiot, despite what Regina thought. If Snow was this upset about Emma going back to her mates, then he figured that he must not have the entire story.

"Ruby bit Emma and now our daughter thinks she's becoming a wolf and that Ruby and Belle are her mates. They have to have her under some type of spell or have confused her somehow. Maybe Regina took her heart to get back at me. Emma's not like that. She isn't a pervert and we have to save her," Snow hissed to David before storming off towards the front of the building.

Ignoring the curious looks of the people still in the hall, David chased after his wife. "Wait, Snow. Just wait! Why do you think that? Emma told me about everything earlier, she didn't seem to be under any spells or confused, not to mention Regina can't take Emma's heart, and you know that."

"How can you be sure?! Regina could have found a way! And Emma, she thinks they are all supposed to be together. It's wrong, unnatural. She should be with a Prince or a man she loves, not with some woman, or should I say _women_? It's disgusting what they are making her do, David. I heard them earlier. The entire diner did. They were doing things; wrong things. And Ruby made her attack Robin last night. Did you know about that? And the wave that caused all the damage was from them, too. Don't you see? They are twisting her to do things, making her think she isn't doing anything wrong, but it is wrong. It's not natural. And Ruby, she was supposed to be my best friend, not some corrupt sex-fiend that ruins my daughter. She's trying to steal Emma from us, Charming, and we can't let her be tainted like that. We have to get her away from all of them."

During her rant, David had taken the time to really look at his wife. She was as pale as her namesake, looking panicked and slightly wild, panting as if she had run a marathon. He knew it didn't happen often, but it was very clear to him that Snow was having a panic attack and not able to think clearly.

On the first night that they had spent together, David had woken to Snow curled into a ball on the bed beside him, rocking back and forth, muttering to herself about how she had done something wrong again and she needed to be punished again. He had been able to calm her after a few hours, but it had taken years to get her to talk about the cause behind her fears.

Snow had told him that she had engaged in something inappropriate when she was younger and had been taught about the wrong she had done. She said she was also shown how to punish herself if she had felt the urge to do those things again. He convinced her that being together wasn't wrong, but it had left him chilled to the bone to know that Snow had been taught to punish herself for loving someone.

Even though she had never specified what she had done, he knew enough about Royalty to know their views on sex, sexuality, and the role of a woman. He had assumed that she had been doing something with a boy and that had led to her _"lessons"_, but now he was beginning to wonder. She and Ruby had been close, but since Ruby and Belle had become an item, Snow's behaviour towards her best friend had subtly changed. It had almost seemed like jealousy, mixed with disgust, but he could never believe that Snow would turn against Ruby. Especially for something like being with the person she loved.

"Snow, the wave, it was like the magic we made when we broke the sleeping curse. It was True Love magic. Emma is finding her happy ending. There is nothing wrong with her." Guiding the still panicking Snow to his truck, he helped her on to the seat before pulling her into his chest. "I need you to breathe with me. We can talk about it more, but you need to calm down first. Just like last time. Ok?" Placing her hand over his heart, he took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Feel my heart? I need you to count the beats for me. One, two, three. Now breathe with me, in and out. In, one, two, three. Out, one, two, three. Good. Good. Just like that."

After several minutes, Snow began to calm, her breathing returning to a more normal pace. "We need to get her away from them. She can't be like that. She just can't. They can't be together. It's not right. We need to save her, Charming. We have to save our baby from this."

"Snow, I love you dearly, but Emma has never really been the type to be with a Prince. You and I have True Love, and I know you want that for our daughter. She's finding that now. It may not be what we expected, but love is love. I think it's time you talked to someone about what happened with your _'lessons'_. "

"What are you talking about? Of course she will be with a Prince. She is a Princess, and that's who she is supposed to be with. Not with another woman, and especially not two or three other women. And I don't need to talk to anyone about my lessons. They fixed what was wrong and I am good now. Emma can be, too. We just need to get her away from them and then-"

"Snow, Emma has found her Happy Ending. We can't stand in the way of that. I know you have very strong feelings about this, but this is about Emma and her happiness, not us. We just have to trust in fate like we always have. And I really do think it's time for you to talk to Archie about what happened. Promise me you won't do anything until you talk to Archie?" Receiving a nod, David took a deep breath and gently squeezed Snow a little tighter, before pulling back to face her again.

As Snow opened her mouth to speak, David pressed a finger to her lips. "We don't need to talk about this anymore tonight. It's been a really long day, and honestly, I am having trouble processing everything. We can talk more about it tomorrow. Please?"

Nodding again, Snow shifted further back on the seat of the truck. Pouting and crossing her arms, she looked every bit the Princess who wasn't getting what she wanted in that moment. Sighing, David knew he was not in any head-space to deal with Snow fairly, and gently closed the door before taking a seat behind the wheel. He knew Snow would not speak to him again that evening, as she typically did when she made that face, but it was for the best if they wanted to avoid an overly dramatic fight.

Pulling away from the curb, David could not help but think to himself. _'As much as I love her, this woman is just ridiculous sometimes.'_

As the smoke cleared, Regina's mind froze. Belle and Ruby were standing beside the bed, both in just their panties. Their very small, lace panties.

Turning at the smell and feel of magic in the room, Ruby and Belle froze with their eyes wide. Sitting in the middle of the floor was Regina holding a whimpering Emma, who had curled into the older woman's neck.

No one moved. No one breathed. And then the spell was broken. A loud, pained whimper left Emma, bringing the women back to the situation at hand. With a lazy flick of her wrist, Regina had covered the smooth, tempting skin of the women in silk sleepwear from her own collection.

"What happened?" Belle was the first to rush forward, checking first Emma, then Regina for any signs of injury. Cupping Regina's cheek without thought, Belle gently ran her thumb across the skin. "Are you alright?"

Beyond shocked, Regina stumbled over her answer. _'Why is she so concerned with me? Emma is her mate. She barely knows me.'_ Those thoughts saddened her and she replied as carefully as she could. "I don't know. Something happened with Emma after the meeting. She was fine before I went to talk to my secretary, but then something changed. She just suddenly became pale and looked to have a fever. When I got back to her, she was complaining that she was hurting and everything was too much. It sounded like a migraine but when I got close, she practically crawled into my lap muttering about how good I smelled and she hasn't moved from my neck since. She growled at David when he tried to pull her away."

Ruby had yet to join the trio in the middle of the room, too caught up in the scents of the three other women. It was the first time they were all together since everything started, and the combination was causing Ruby's focus to turn into a haze. She could smell the scent of sex from Belle and the bed behind them with her own arousal mixed in. She could smell the intoxicating scent of Emma also mixed with arousal. She could smell the arousal lingering around Regina, and the scent of Emma on Regina as well. It did not stir her jealousy, only her excitement. _'She is our mate. OURS! Emma may not want to tell her, but she is ours as much as she is theirs and she needs to know. We cannot be whole without her.'_

Shaking with her desire, Ruby was struggling to remain across the room and not dive for her mates. She knew Regina was meant for them. Her wolf knew. And she could not stay away from her new mate if she tried. "Gr-Granny. I-I'm going t-to get her. She'll kn-now what to do." Rushing for the door, her cheeks red and eyes glowing yellow, Ruby almost ripped the door from its hinges in her haste to escape.

Concerned with the odd behaviour, Belle only watched for a moment after Ruby before realizing what this issue likely was. Earlier in the day, Ruby had been aroused almost beyond control at the sounds and scents of Emma's and Belle's lovemaking. Having the four of them in a room together that still smelled of sex was likely triggering Ruby's instincts. _'My poor wolf. We will have to talk soon.' _Briefly checking on a still wide-eyed Regina, Belle rushed to the window, swinging it wide open to air the room out.

Returning to Emma and Regina, Belle began checking Emma for fever and pulse rate. Both were elevated, although not to a threatening level. _'Thank goodness I read that book on emergency medical procedures last month,'_ she thought absently while she worked.

At that moment, Granny and Ruby rushed back through the door. Ruby spotted the open window, and gave Belle a thankful smile. "What happened to the pup?" Granny demanded in a no-nonsense tone.

"The meeting went fine. She was fine until after the meeting broke up. She just suddenly looked sick. She was fine all day, even keeping her temper with Robin when he was yelling at her. I don't know what happened." As the explanation continued, Regina's voice began to waiver until she was almost sobbing. "Is she going to be ok?" Unable to stand the fear and anguish in Regina's voice, Belle began to gently rub circles on her back.

"What happened with Robin? And be specific child." Granny had begun to check Emma's temperature, noting that she was almost as warm as the night she had been bit.

"He was yelling at her, being irrational. He tried to grab my arm but she wouldn't let him get close enough. She was calm but kept close to me. She…" Thinking back to the exchange, Regina realized several things at once. "Her eyes turned yellow, her teeth elongated noticeably, and when he made a comment about Belle, I think her wolf took over for a moment."

Three pairs of wide eyes stared back at the former queen. "What do you mean her wolf took over?" Granny was the first to ask, her face ashen.

"Robin had been ranting about Belle and Ruby and about how their relationship was unnatural, and I told him to leave. He didn't listen and made a comment about Emma not being able to keep her mates happy. Emma lost control and lashed out, but I transported Robin back to his camp before she made contact." Seeing the angry look in three sets of eyes and hearing the deep growls of the other women, Regina knew that the topic would have to be revisited later to explain the entire situation properly, but now was not the time. "When she turned back to me, her eyes were yellow, but the way she spoke, it was different. She said 'we' not 'I' and she, well she nuzzled my jaw, similar to how she is curled up to me now. I just- I just knew it was her wolf, not Emma. It only lasted a few moments, but I felt the change. Her wolf was in control. She was back a moment later though, as if it was as simple as the flick of a switch."

"Ruby, get Emma on the bed. Keep her tucked close to you; she will want your scent. Regina, give me your jacket as soon as Ruby has her." Granny ordered, gesturing around the room. "Belle, close the window and get me a wet cloth."

Wrapping her arms gently around Emma, Ruby shivered at the swirl of scents and the warmth of both Emma and Regina. Blushing, Ruby gestured with her chin for Regina to help guide Emma to her. At the pained whimper that came with the removal, Belle, Ruby and Regina all grimaced. When Emma shifted over to Ruby's shoulder, Regina looked both relieved and pained. _'We have to tell her. If she is feeling the pull, it will only cause her more pain if we keep it from her.'_

Setting the thought aside for now, Ruby settled Emma into the same position that she had been in with Regina. Letting out a groan that sounded almost sexual, Emma burrowed deeply into Ruby's neck and began nuzzling her mating mark. The sensation shot a surge of arousal straight to Ruby's core, making her gasp. "Mmm, mine." The almost drunken mutter was punctuated with a small nip, making Ruby whimper.

"Alright you two, up onto the bed. Put the pup in the middle of the bed, and give me some room to work." Granny's gruff voice was filled with amusement. Taking the blazer that Regina had quickly stripped off once Emma was situated in Ruby arms, Granny thought, _'As adorable as this is, we need to get this sorted out immediately. These pups really need to talk.'_

Lifting Emma to the bed was surprisingly more difficult than Ruby imagined. Between the distraction of her arousal and instincts, and the dead weight of her mate, Ruby ended up dropping Emma unceremoniously into the middle of the bed, almost falling in with her. Emma landed with a squeak followed by a pained groan, gripping her head tightly.

Acting quickly, Granny tossed Regina's blazer onto the pillows at the top of the bed before brusquely shoving Emma's face into the pile and holding her there for a moment. Belle, Ruby, and Regina watched, shocked to see Emma practically start rolling into the pillows and blazer, groans of pleasure falling from her lips continuously.

After a moment, Emma curled into what appeared to be a comfortable position, arms wrapped around two pillows and Regina's blazer, and she immediately began to snore. Tucking her gently under the covers, Granny turned to face the women, eyeing them each respectively. All sported a deep blush and were shifting uncomfortably, their eyes never leaving Emma.

Chuckling at the obvious reactions of the three women, Granny decided they needed both her reassurance and guidance, or this situation could rapidly get out of hand. "Belle, please put the cloth on her forehead, and then I would like to see all of you in the living room. We need to have a very important discussion. She will be fine for a bit while we talk." Turning, Granny left the room, knowing that they would need a few minutes to check their mate before joining her.

Gently laying the cloth on Emma's head, Belle tucked a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear. Leaning down she gently placed a kiss on her forehead and received a contented hum and smile from a soundly sleeping Emma. "She doesn't feel as warm as before. I think she will be ok for a few minutes while we go speak with Granny." When neither Regina nor Ruby acknowledged the statement, Belle reached out to them, motioning them forward. "Come see. She's ok."

Both women shared an unsure look with Belle, before stepping up beside the bed. Leaning down Ruby, repeated Belle's earlier action, gently kissing Emma's forehead, and receiving the same response, causing the waitress to chuckle. Regina waited for confirmation from Ruby before leaning over. Gently stroking her hair before placing her own kiss, Regina was too focused on Emma to see the look that Belle and Ruby shared.

Each taking a hand, Belle and Ruby led a dazed Regina from the room, knowing she was too preoccupied to consider the situation or the contact. Regina needed to know why her blazer is currently being used like a teddy bear by the blonde, and neither woman was willing to hold back their feelings any longer. They knew Emma would not be happy about it, but they knew it was for the best.

"We need to talk, Regina, and I think Granny will be able to explain a bit better about everything." Ruby started, as they walked down the hallway. "There is a lot more that is going on than we talked about earlier; and some of it has to do with Robin, but a lot has to do with you."

Confusion swept over Regina's face as her thoughts began to race. _'What didn't they tell me? What does Robin have to do with any of this? Will Emma truly be alright? Why are Ruby and Belle holding my hands?'_ At the last thought, Regina quickly pulled her hands away, not missing the saddened looks on both women's faces. Realizing that they were upset, she quickly took up their hands again before realizing that she did so. _'What on earth is going on with me?! Why am I reacting to them like this?'_

"Please, just come speak with us. We won't force you to, but there are things you need to know. The decisions you make after you hear everything are entirely up to you and there will be no pressure from any of us, Emma included, about any of it. Please, can you trust us right now and come listen to what Granny has to say?" Belle's soft voice matched her earnest expression and Regina found that she did trust them, even though she could not pinpoint the exact reason why. _'I know they won't push, and I trust them but I need them to explain what is happening. And I need to know what the situation with Robin is. If he is my soul mate, I need to know what he's done that has them all so on-edge.'_

Nodding slowly, Regina squared her shoulders, and motioned for the women to lead the way. "Alright. Let's hear Granny out. But I want a full explanation, no more half stories. And I want a proper clarification about Robin's part in all of this. I do not care to have the truth softened; I want to know all of it. Agreed?" The former queen was agitated and she could not stop her imperial tone from slipping out. When both Belle and Ruby nodded, she relaxed, knowing that they would spare no detail for her benefit.

Entering the living room, Belle and Ruby guided Regina to the couch, taking the seats on either side of her, their hands still joined. "Ruby and Belle have assured me that you have an explanation for everything Eugenia. First, will Emma be alright?"

"Yes dear. The pup is just going through one heck of an adjustment period. People who are not born wolves, but are infected through a bite unfortunately experience a number of side effects. Sometimes people are not strong enough and they do not make it through the transformation." Seeing the panic on all three women's faces, Granny simply held her hand up, signalling the women to wait. "Usually those people are too old or are already sick. Emma is young and strong, not to mention magical and part of a prophesy. Headaches are normal, and although Emma's reaction is not normal by any means, she will be fine."

"What do you mean she isn't _normal_?" The only werewolves Regina had met in person were Ruby and Eugenia and she had never researched much into them during her time training with Gold.

Cutting in quickly, Belle knew Regina needed reassurance that nothing dangerous was occurring. "Emma's change is happening much faster than any I have ever heard of. We believe that because she has magic, and is part of the White Wolf Prophesy, it is causing the acceleration. I did a fair amount of reading during my time at Rumple's castle, and werewolves were a favourite subject of mine. May I?" Blushing at her own admission, Belle shyly eyed Granny for permission to explain their people. Receiving a nod of permission, she continued, "The first transition is usually a painful one. When a person is bitten, they usually will progressively develop the werewolf attributes over the course of one to two months. If they were bitten immediately before the full moon, they would transform likely on the next moon. But all wolves will either transform or perish before the second full moon. All wolves heed the call of the full moon, forcing the transformation. However, there are very rare instances when a wolf, such as Ruby for instance, has the ability to transform without the power of the moon, and people have been bitten in the middle of the lunar cycle. They are the ones that typically take longer to transform.

As the curse spreads, different senses are intensified over the course of the month. These can lead to headaches, fevers, pain, and general malaise. There is also a large increase in hunger, aggression, mood shifts, strength, libido, and other typical wolf behaviours will also begin to present. It's much like a magical virus spreading and developing, with a bit of animal nature mixed in. The closer the person comes to the full moon, the more the symptoms intensify. I was bitten the night after Emma, last night, by both Emma and Ruby before they completed their mating bond, and I have yet to show any symptoms. The night Emma was bitten, she began showing symptoms within an hour. As I have been bitten by Ruby as well, if the rapid progression was related to her particular bite, I should have already begun to show symptoms as well, but as of yet, I have not. We believe Emma's progression is related to the fact that she possesses magic, due to this fact, and the fact that she seems to more in touch with her wolf than most full-wolves.

Those that are born wolves, and develop the ability to change at will are very rare. It typically takes many years of practice and even more control to be able to call the wolf up without the full moon being present. There are only two exceptions to this. The first is similar to Ruby's experience; her mate was being threatened. Werewolves are a very pack oriented people, almost irrationally defensive of their mates and their pups. They will defend their pack to the death if need be, but it is an instinctual reaction when it is related to their mates and pups. When Ruby saw me with Rumple, her instincts kicked in, resulting in the confrontation that day. Your assistance in removing the magic that had been placed on me allowed Ruby to calm and return to her human form, sating her instincts. The only other documented occurrence was within the White Wolf family line. They were the rulers of the Kingdom of the Wolves for 1000 generations. They were all magic practitioners as well as wolves."

"Ruby informed me of the prophesy earlier, although I am beginning to believe I have not been fully informed about it." Eyeing the younger brunette with a small scowl, Regina returned her attention to Belle. "Can you please elaborate further as to what it entails?"

"The Prophesy of the White Wolf states that there will be a person of royal birth who is also a magic user that will be bitten by a werewolf. They will bear a mark, and this person and his or her mates will re-found the kingdom. Due to the mark we found on Emma and her instinctive reactions to both Ruby and myself, as well as the True Love bond that had already been established with Ruby and I, we were able to rather easily determine that we are all mates. But the prophesy states that Emma does not have two mates-"

"Wait, I thought that Emma had more than one mate?" Turning to Ruby, betrayal evident on her face, Regina pulled her hand away sharply. "You lied to me?"

"No! No, no, no. Regina, Emma doesn't have two mates-"

"I have three."


	19. Chapter 19

_'About time you got up Emma; I have been waiting for a while.'_

"What do you mean? Where the hell am I?" Looking around, Emma can only see swirling grey, an almost fog-like smoke covering everything in sight, or rather the lack of everything.

_'You are in our mind, and we are communing. Isn't that obvious? I thought for sure you would appreciate the Harry Potter quality of the scene, given that it is our favourite book series.'_

Looking around again, Emma doesn't see anything but the swirling grey mist. "Harry Potter had a train station, and was talking to Dumbledore. Where are you? If we are in my head, I want to see you."

_'Very well. Please calm down, you have nothing to be scared of.'_

The fog thinned and shifted, revealing a large white wolf with deep green eyes sitting patiently in front of her. "Are you my wolf?"

_'Yes and no. We are the same but separate right now. We will be the same and whole soon. I am the part of you that you have never had a chance to know, and has been brought to the surface by the start of your transformation. I am essentially your inner voice, here to help guide you through our transformation.'_

"This is way too Yoda for me right now. So you are part of me but you aren't? Can't you just shoot straight and be blunt with me?" Sitting down to be eye-level, Emma is surprised to feel the connection to the wolf is as strong as it is. It feels like talking to a mirror, despite there being the visual of a wolf in front of her.

_'Very well. I have always been part of you, and am just something you have suppressed. You are Royal by birth and from a magical land. There are certain things that are just naturally part of you but have never been used. Like your magic for example. Before it was brought back to this world, you never felt it, but now that there is magic here, you do. I am the same. You have never felt me because I was essentially dormant, but now that the transformation has begun, I am coming to the surface.'_

"Ok, that kind of makes sense I guess. So why are we having this little get together now? Last I remember, I felt really sick and was in a lot of pain. What happened?"

_'Our Regina brought us back to the pack and they were able to soothe your pain. You have been neglectful of yourself today and it strained us.'_

"What do you mean I was neglectful? I didn't really do anything today."

_'Exactly. You forgot to eat, you have been suppressing your emotions, which is fuelling our magic further, and you did not rest enough before that to begin with. You must take care now that the transformation has begun and ensure that we are as healthy as possible until our joining. You need to rest, eat, use your new strength, and take careful control of our magic. We are mated now, and must think of them as well at all times.'_

"Ok, fair enough. I did push it a little today, but it was not like I intentionally forgot. Did I upset them too badly? I didn't mean to scare them but I'm sure they were worried."

_'They will be alright, but I would like to speak with them and offer reassurances, and some insight.'_

"What do you mean speak to them? Like Ghost-style take over my body?"

_'Essentially, yes. I believe it will tax your body, as the transformation is so very new, but you are progressing rapidly and should recover quickly. I would like to make sure that they know to keep an eye on you to ensure this doesn't happen again.'_

"Okay, so you don't even know what this will do to me-us-whatever? That's not very reassuring. And look, I get I let some things slip today, but this is all pretty new to me, so give me-us-whatever, a break already. I don't need a babysitter."

_'I am aware that this is new, but our mates come first, and this means we must ensure our body is taken care of. I am basing my assumptions of what taking control will do to us, on our experience earlier today, but wolves are instinctual creatures. Our instincts tell me this is possible again and that it will not truly harm us. Do you agree to try, for our mates?'_

"Sure. Anything that hurts me, hurts you, so why not? I trust us-me-whatever. God this is confusing."

_'It will be easier when we are fully joined. And thank you for willingly allowing this. But there is one other matter we must also discuss before we proceed.'_

"Which is?"

_'Regina. She deserves to know that she is our mate. Not telling her is not an option.'_

"Look, I care about her too much to force something like this on her. All she wanted was to love Daniel and lead a happy life, and then because of my mother, she was forced into a marriage with the king. I won't let her be forced into another relationship against her will. She is with Robin. And even if he is a monumental ass-hat and king of the douche-bags, she deserves to be happy. I won't interfere with her happy ending, even if it means having to watch her be with someone else. I know how we feel about her, so you should agree that we shouldn't push her on this. If she's happy, let her be happy. She deserves it."

_'For someone who can see so much, you are blind. Not telling her is taking away her choice. She is with him because she believes it is her only choice, that it is fated. But that is not the truth. And not telling her is taking away the same choice you wish to give her.'_ The wolf was standing by now, its hackles raised and teeth bared. Although it was a fearsome visual, Emma knows she won't be hurt by the wolf. It is a part of herself after all. But it did strike a chord that she would be taking away Regina's choice in the matter.

_'And what of your other mates?! What of the mate that they are denied because of your fear? You are being selfish to all of our mates and need to remember to put them first. You already know you love them, all of them, and need to protect them. That includes their happiness, which includes their other mate. Would you deny Ruby from Belle?'_

"No! They love each other and I would never want them to be anything but happy! I would do anything to make sure they are happy, all of them."

_'Then why deny them, or Regina for that matter, the same thing?'_ The wolf relaxes, its point made. _'I understand the fear of rejection, but you are forcing that on Regina without giving her a true choice. And we both know that is something she had been sorely lacking in her life.'_

"Fine, fine. You're right. When I wake up, I will talk to them all. God, when did my conscience get so bossy?"

_'Right around the time you started to turn into a wolf.'_ If Emma didn't know better, she could have sworn the wolf was smirking at her right now. _'Besides, we both know you have been feeling guilty for your feelings towards all of our mates for a long time, and have resisted acknowledging them for as long as you could, especially in regards to Regina. We are rather the blunt-type, as you put it.'_

"Yeah, yeah. So now that you have given me my nip in the butt, what else are we supposed to do?"

_'Nothing. You just have to focus on letting me have control and I can go visit our mates. I have been very eager to meet them since I discovered this ability earlier today._'

"So are you going to just blurt everything out, no filter, when you are using me as your puppet? I really don't want to scare Regina, or pressure her into anything."

_'I will not pressure her; but I will inform her, if you like, of her options. Her happiness matters to me just as much as it does to you; we are the same.'_

"Thanks. But remember to be gentle with them. All of them. They have all had too much crap happen to them in the last few days and deserve a break from the crazy."

_'I know and I will be. We love them too much to want to cause them any harm, instincts or not.'_

* * *

><p><strong>"No! No, no, no. Regina, Emma doesn't have two mates-"<strong>

**"I have three."**

"You shouldn't be out of bed, pup." Granny huffed at the blonde sheriff, who simply offered her a crooked grin. "You were happily snoring and playing koala with the pillows and Regina's blazer last we saw you."

"And Emma very much enjoyed that. But I am not a patient wolf; and I wanted to greet all of my mates." Granny could only watch on in silent shock as the wolf that Emma would become straightened and began to move into the room. Her movements were graceful as Emma stepped forward, her eyes glowing the bright yellow of her wolf, never wavering from the direction of the three women on the couch.

"What do you mean 'Emma very much enjoyed that'?" Belle asked, noticing the glow of her mate's eyes. "Are you her wolf?"

As the wolf moved towards the three women, the elegance with which she moved struck them as Emma Swan had never moved like that before. Lowering herself gently to the floor in front of the three women, the wolf looked at each of them in turn, memorizing their features.

Each was able to very easily see the changes in Emma's appearance. Her eyes were a vibrant yellow and her canine teeth were slightly elongated, but not to a garish length. "Yes, I am her wolf. We have not fully integrated yet as we have yet to fully change. But as I said, I am an impatient wolf and wanted to meet all of you. We are still learning each other but we can feel each other very strongly already, and she knows how excited I am. As long as I follow her stipulations, she is content to give up control for a short while so that we may meet. However, I cannot stay long as it is too taxing for both of us."

"How is this even possible? You are speaking as if you are two different people. I thought the wolf was a part of the person?" Regina could only stare at the wolf that seemed to possess the woman before her. She had met the wolf previously, but this entire situation just seemed too far-fetched, even for her.

"Emma and I are one and the same. But we will also remain separate until the first transformation. When we share both forms and both accept the other fully, we will be complete. Many struggle with the wolf and resist it and they remain locked away from one another, despite being two parts of the same soul. Others simply embrace the wolf fully and choose to leave their other self locked away instead. Then there are those like Ruby, and soon Emma, that become one with their wolf and have balance. Ruby fought her wolf for years before she embraced it. While her mother gave herself over to the wolf, Ruby found her balance and gained her control."

Looking at Ruby, the wolf could see the tears forming in her eyes at the mention of the mother she lost saving her mates own mother. The wolf reached up to gently stroke her cheek. Ruby leaned into the touch, holding the hand in place with her own. "Emma does not shy away from me and we are almost as balanced as our mate. With our first change that will happen. For now, her body and magic are still adapting. But it will not be long." Leaning up, the wolf gently nuzzled Ruby's jaw before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Hello, my mate. I cannot wait to run with you again, in proper form this time. Thank you for taking us last night, it meant a great deal to both of us, as does the gift of your mark." With a whimper, Ruby nuzzled back into the wolf in front of her, tears of joy now leaking from her eyes. Ruby had never imagined she would find not only a pack but her mates as well.

"I have never read about anything like this happening before. How is this possible? Is this due to Emma's magic or because of the prophecy? Will it be the same for me as well? Or will it progress as a regular transition? Will I be able to become one with my wolf as easily? Are there any risks for Emma? For myself? What was the cause of the pain earlier? How do we avoid it happening again? Can we avoid it? Why did Regina's scent help calm the pain? Why-" Belle's rambling was cut off by a loud laugh from the wolf who shifted so she was kneeling directly in front of the auburn haired librarian.

Shifting up to nuzzle Belle's jaw, who blushed at the action, before giving her a chaste kiss as well, the wolf flashed a wide grin. "I do not have all the answers to your questions. I do know that Emma will be fine, as will you. She simply has larger needs that must be met, and as this is so new, she neglected them. She knows now that there is much more that she will have to do, both for herself, and for you. But as much as she will have to do to care properly for each of you, she will need you to care for her as well. She will need to know the histories; she will need to burn off her physical energy; and she will most definitely need to burn off her excess magic." Eyeing Belle, Ruby, and finally Regina in turn with each of the needs that Emma will need addressed, she hoped they understood that they each brought something to the relationship for the others, and that they would all be incomplete without it. _'Soon there will not be a need to be delicate. Soon each of our mates will complete the bond and there will be no more fear for any of us. We will be complete.'_

Seeing that the women were listening attentively to the wolf, she turned back to speak to Belle. "And I am sure that by the next time we meet, you will have found every answer you seek and will be prepared for what is to come. And you, my princess, are going to be the most curious wolf I will ever have the joy of running with, I am sure. I look forward to it with great happiness." Pecking her lips again, the wolf pulled back from Belle and shifted to sit in front of a speechless Regina. "Hello again my Queen."

Having not moved since the wolf's arrival, Regina had observed the interactions between Belle, Ruby, and the wolf, and had still not come to a conclusion in regards to what she was feeling. She was upset that Ruby had misled her and even though she knew that it had not been intentional on her part to hurt her, it had still been a lie by omission, and apparently done at Emma's request. Belle had been equally concerned over her and Emma when they had appeared in the room upstairs, and that had left her almost as confused as her reaction to Belle and Ruby both being almost nude. That and the curious desire to clothe them both in her own clothing. It would have been just as simple to conjure their clothing or even new clothing, but she had put them into her own sleepwear automatically, and it felt right to do so, even now. And now they were offering her answers, promising not to hold back. Emma had even let the wolf come to speak to them to assure them that everything would be alright. Until Emma could speak for herself, Regina decided she would follow her instincts and listen. But Emma was far from being off the hook for her actions, no matter how noble they seemed.

"Hello again to you, my wolf." Waiting to see what the wolf would do, Regina failed to notice that she had answered possessively. "Are you able to stay long enough to answer my questions this time?"

"I am sorry for leaving so quickly before, but I will answer anything you ask. Emma has recognized that she cannot withhold the information from you as that is not giving you a real choice, which was what she truly wanted in the first place. She will speak with you herself when we are rested, and she knows you will be upset. I am sure she will gladly take your wrath for her failure. Just know that it was done to protect you, not to deny you." Resting her chin on Regina's knees, the wolf presented itself in a submissive position, something an alpha very rarely did, if ever. The other women in the room did not miss it. "Now, what do you wish to know?"

"You said you have three mates. Am I to assume that you believe I am one of them?"

"I do not simply believe it, I am certain. But Emma and I both agree that it is up to you, should you wish to pursue anything. As painful as it would be, she would maintain your friendship to see you happy. We know that you have had your choices taken from you many times in the past, and that you have another who you believe you are destined to be with. However, without the proper information, you cannot make an informed choice and that would be taking something away from you again. Emma loves you, for many reasons and in many ways. But she also believes that you wish to be with another, and she will not push as she only wants you to be happy." Pausing to look at Belle and Ruby, the wolf continued, "Ruby, Belle, and Emma all feel a pull towards you, as all wolves do with their mates. It is an instinctual need to protect and provide for our mates, even if we do not yet recognize them for who they are to us.

"Ruby fought a war against you, yet she never actively tried to approach you in battle. Her wolf is as fast as it is deadly when the need arises, and yet she never truly pushed to end you. She has paid attention to you for years, always trying her best to care of you but not push. She watched over you from afar, even when she did not remember who she was, she strove to take care of you in any way she could. She battled her jealousy at your previous lover and put your happiness before her own.

"Belle was your prisoner, both in this land and the previous. Yet she was never mistreated, and she was always well cared for. Even though you are not a wolf, you never harmed her when she was at your mercy. She forgave you when the curse broke and trusted you to help her when the truth about the imp came out. She worries over you in the same way she does Ruby and Emma. You may have not spent as much time together, but you both have always watched the other despite yourselves.

"Emma is a stubborn creature, just like you. You fought fiercely, yet never dealt any true damage to the other. As much as she argues with you, fights with you, and angers you, there is not a person alive in this town she would willingly allow to hurt you. You may have come to blows in the past, but given the level of tension between you, it was not surprising. She has never been one to experience jealousy such as that, and she still struggles to control it with regards to you. She has always defended you, and she always will, regardless of the choice you make. As will our other mates. For whatever reason, we have each made a bond with you and feel the pull towards you. And in whatever way you wish, we will all be there for you. Friends, family, pack, or mates, we are yours."

Sighing tiredly, the wolf's shoulders began to slouch. "Unfortunately, my time is very short. Please remember what I have said, my mates, and I look forward to seeing you again." Pausing, the wolf locked dull yellow eyes with Regina, "In whatever capacity you wish to have me."

In a puff of white smoke, the wolf was gone. As the other women sat stunned, Ruby ran from the room in an almost blinding display of speed. When she had returned a moment later, none of the women had moved. "Emma's back in the bed, wrapped in the jacket and pillows again."

"Well that pup certainly gives you a run for dramatic flair, that's for sure." Granny's grumbled interjection brought some much needed levity to calm the room. "I think you ladies need to talk privately, that was a lot to take in. And this old wolf needs her time alone before bed. Off you go, see to the pup while you are at it." Shooing the women out of the room, Granny was relieved that the topic had been broached. It will not end well for Robin if he continues to harass Belle and Ruby, and Regina needed to know the entire truth of the situation to make a fair choice. _'About time someone wolfed up to the task.'_

Settling into her favourite chair in her apartment, Granny turned on the TV with a grin and picked up her knitting. _'Perfect. Just in time for Wipeout!'_

* * *

><p>Closing the door to the room that had unofficially become theirs, Ruby moved next to Emma's sleeping form. "Sorry about that. Granny doesn't like to miss her show, and there is not much she could say anyway. This is kind of all on us right now." Taking a seat on the bed next to her mate, Ruby's head hung down as she fidgeted with her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't explain everything earlier Regina, not fully. You do have a right to know, and I will answer all your questions as best I can. As much as I would like to say that it was Emma's decision, we all agreed with her reasoning. And I have no doubt that if we had pushed to tell you, she would have followed our wishes. I will never intentionally hide anything from you again. We were all kind of scared about how you would take this. Everything has just been happening so fast."<p>

Having followed silently behind Belle and Ruby to the room, Regina was still at a loss regarding the entire situation. She moved to the far side of the bed to give herself some space from the contrite wolf. She was frustrated that she had been kept out of the loop, but the actions of the wolf as well as the other two women led her to believe that it was not done with malicious intent. "Why don't we start over and you both can tell me everything." Mirroring Ruby's actions, Regina took a seat on the unoccupied corner, while Belle moved up beside Ruby and snuggled into Emma's back.

"We've explained a bit about the prophesy, and that's about all we really know so far. I am researching more about it, and I hope that I can find the original book I read it in. Then we can read the entirety of it and I am hoping things will be a bit clearer. Granny and Ruby have a bit more knowledge about it, but the main points are the same. The White Wolf, Emma, and her mates will re-found the lost kingdom. As for your part, yes, we believe you are the White Wolf's third mate, but Emma will have to explain more about the reasoning behind her not wanting to tell you; although as Ruby said, we did agree with her reasoning. I will say again it was not done to hurt you and I cannot stress enough that it will never happen again."

"I believe you dear. I will speak with Emma when she wakes, and she will be explaining everything, in detail, believe me. But for now, can you please explain to me about Robin? Why has he been behaving like this with Emma and Ruby?" Noting that both women began to shift uncomfortably at the mention of her supposed soul-mate, Regina knew that she would not like what she was about to learn.

But she and Robin had been in a relationship almost as long as Belle and Ruby had. If she did not have all the information, she did not truly know who she was involved with, and there were so few people who would truly care enough to take the time to tell her, even if asked. It was a matter of being able to place her trust correctly. Emma had it, as did Belle and Ruby, despite them hiding something from her, and she needed to know that she could count on them to tell her the truth, however uncomfortable it may be.

"When everything first happened with Belle, and I went to the Blue Fairy to ask her to confirm that Belle was my True Love, there were a few people around town that weren't happy about two women being together. Robin and his men were a large part of that group." Ruby shifted further onto the bed, beginning to toy with a stray blonde lock of Emma's hair as her other arm wrapped protectively around Belle's waist. "Most of the people in town didn't care, but those that did were either part of the church or were former nobles. You know how Royalty viewed homosexuality and bisexuality, and heck, even women in general in the Enchanted Forest. Our relationship was something unnatural to them. Something to be fixed and corrected, or hidden away from the world. True Love or not, they view it as wrong."

Taking a deep breath, Belle continued where Ruby had stopped, knowing she needed a moment. "Robin made a few passing comments alluding to how I essentially just needed a real man to straighten me out. He seemed to focus on me for two reasons as far as I can tell. One, I am not a werewolf; and two, I am Royalty. I think he feels it's his right to correct me because I am a noble woman. Or at least I was until my father made the deal with Rumple."

"I'll admit his attitude can be a little out-dated at times, but I don't think he would ever do anything beyond harsh words. He-" Regina was cut off from her automatic defense by a heavy sigh.

"Regina, he has already has. Or he tried to, anyway." Ruby was looking intensely at Regina, needing her to understand that they needed to tell the whole story for her to realize the truth of the situation. Seeing the pain in Ruby's eyes, Regina paused, before simply nodding for her to continue.

"It happened a few months after things had settled. He cornered Belle at the library and tried 'talking some sense' into her. She ended up having to barricade herself in her office and call me for help. He had grabbed her arms but she was able to get away from him. When I got there, he tried to egg me into a fight, saying he would claim self-defense in getting Belle away from a monster like me. That there was no way for a woman, let alone a peasant, to truly please a woman like Belle and that she would eventually leave me for a man. That any man was better than 'something' like me." Ruby's voice trembled at the end, the pain of hearing that people feared for Belle's safety around her, still weighed heavily on her heart. The thought of Belle feeling that way and leaving her twisted the pain of the memory deeper. "I had called Emma on my way over to the library and she got there before anything happened, but it was close. She separated us, took down our statements, and checked us both over twice before hauling him out of there. She put a restraining order on him for Belle and it worked for a while. He hasn't caused any problems for us again until today, when he showed up at the library trying to surprise Belle about the mate bond that Emma and I share. He used the fight last night as his reason to try and get Belle to leave me for him."

"He offered to help 'fix me' again, both him and his men. He was hoping to make me vulnerable enough to take him up on his offer by telling me that Ruby was cheating on me with Emma, and that I deserved better than her. He was furious when I told him that I knew and that we were all together. He didn't try anything else this time, but I worried for you all the more when he left. You deserve better than someone like him."

Something inside Regina knew that they were speaking the truth. She had known that Robin still clung to many of the old ways from the Enchanted Forest, having never had new memories given to him from the first curse. But to hear that he had tried to break Belle and Ruby up, a couple that shared True Love, and that he had accosted Belle while apparently building a relationship with her, broke what was left of her hope for him.

"Regina, I know that you think you are supposed to be with him because a spell with fairy dust was supposed to show you your soul-mate, but you deserve better than someone who would treat you like that, that would treat any woman like that." Belle had reached out, gently taking Regina's hand and stroked her thumb in soothing circles over her skin, resting both on Emma's hip. "You don't have to make any choices tonight, but we are here for you if you want to talk. I cannot guarantee that we will be completely impartial, but we do care about you and we only want you to be happy. And we would never tell you how you are supposed to feel, think, or act. That is not how someone who loves you would treat you. If you love someone, you love them for them, not for what you can make them into."

Taking a deep breath, Regina began speaking in a quiet voice. "Today, Emma and I were talking. She was upset about Snow, and I was explaining things about her past that I hoped would help her understand her mother's reaction to your relationship. Emma was also helping me because I was worried I would lose our friendship now that she had found her mates. She hugged me and he came out of nowhere and just started yelling at her, accusing her. He ignored me completely and treated me like I was a possession. I haven't felt like that since Leopold."

Tears had begun to silently stream from her eyes, but Regina made no move to brush them away. "Emma defended all of us to him. She was vehement that she was not trying to corrupt me and that I was my own person. The things she said were things I don't think I ever thought about myself, let alone someone else seeing in me. She said we were family, regardless of his wishes, and that only my wishes were of consequence. The righteous anger that poured off her was palpable, and when he spoke of Belle being unsatisfied the wolf broke through her restraint.

"Any time Robin defended me to anyone in the past, it was only in relation to him, not about me. It was more defending his ideal of me really, and how I was reformed now, thanks to him. And afterwards, when we were alone, he would only rant about how they should just take his word and stop questioning that he had changed me for the better. I never thought about what that truly meant. I just enjoyed that someone was defending me and wanted me. But never once was he concerned about how the confrontation had affected me, just about how it made him look. But the second he was gone today, the wolf was only concerned about me, reassuring me, and comforting me. Even when the wolf left and Emma returned, she was still reassuring me and was worried about me.

"It must seem so selfish, to be so focused on myself, but that is something I have really never experienced before. This is all so confusing, and I honestly find myself at a loss as to what to do. I am going on pure instinct right now and not really processing everything."

Exchanging a look with Belle, Ruby timidly asked the question that would make or break their night, possibly their relationship. "And what are your instincts telling you right now?"

"They are telling me to trust you. But I am tired and my mind is spinning with everything right now. I think it would be best if I picked up Henry and returned home for the evening." Standing, Regina reached for the blazer on Emma's pillow without thought. As a pained whimper left the sleeping woman's lips, Regina immediately dropped the garment. But Emma continued to whimper despite the blazer almost under her nose now.

Reaching out quickly to sooth the lines that had appeared on the blonde's forehead, Regina was surprised to see Emma almost instantly relax, her face turning into the touch. As she removed her hand, Emma began to whimper again, the sound tugging at Regina's heart.

"Regina, I know this is a lot to ask, but could you stay here tonight?" Belle had watched the interaction between the sleeping woman and Regina, and was relieved to see the serious concern in her eyes, so she quickly continued. "Just for the night, so Emma can rest. Ruby and I can move to another room if it would make you more comfortable." Standing, Ruby held out a hand to Belle as she shifted off the edge of the bed. But as with Regina, when they moved away, Emma immediately began whimpering.

"I don't think Emma likes that idea very much, dear. And I cannot bring myself to leave her in this state. Give me a moment." Retrieving her phone from the pocket of her blazer, Regina sat back on the bed.

"Hello, Michael? Yes, this is Regina. Would it be possible for you to keep Henry over another night? I know this is last minute- You were? He did? Very well, he may stay but may I speak to him a moment? -Thank you very much, Michael. Have a wonderful evening as well.

"Henry- yes I have given you permission to stay, but you should know better than to not ask permission first before making these types of plans. -Yes, I am aware that it is a holiday week, but that doesn't mean that you can simply make these decisions on your own. It works out this time, but in the future, you will need to speak to either myself or Emma first, or you **will not be** allowed to stay over. -Yes, we will be talking about this when i pick you up tomorrow. -Thank you dear, and have a good night with your friends." Hanging up, Regina turned back to the other women who had resumed their places on the bed beside Emma who was restless in her sleep. "It seems Henry had already beaten me to the punch in making plans for this evening. He will be staying over at his friends' house again, so I can remain here for Emma tonight."

With a wave of her hand, Regina and Emma were both dressed in sets of her pyjamas similar to the ones Belle and Ruby were wearing. "This has been a very long day and as I seem unable to leave Emma's proximity, as are you, I would like to be as comfortable as possible for the duration of the night. Do you have any objections, ladies?" With twin head shakes, yet with curiosity burning brightly in their eyes, Ruby and Belle agreed to whatever Regina had in mind. Regina smiled at the trust that they so willingly gave to her without question, and closed her eyes, enveloping them all in a cloud of purple smoke.

As the smoke cleared, Ruby and Belle were shocked to find that they were in a very large, very luxurious bed. "I prefer my own bed and as we seem to be in need the space, it seems the most logical for this evening."

Letting out a small yawn, Regina shifted under the covers, motioning for Belle and Ruby to do the same. At the loss of the pillows that she had been cuddling, Emma began to whimper and reach out in her sleep, seemingly searching for the source of her comfort.

Each placing a hand on Emma, Belle and Ruby shifted into a more comfortable position, spooning behind the blonde. Emma immediately settled, a slight frown still marring her brow. Seeing that the blonde was still uncomfortable, Regina gently placed her hand in Emma's, facing the wolves currently occupying her bed. _'Just don't think about it until tomorrow. It can wait until then. Just rest for now'_

Releasing a contented sigh, Emma's breathing immediately deepened and evened out, a small smile on her lips. One by one, each woman quickly followed the sheriff into slumber, choosing not to comment on any of the changes the past few days had brought into their lives.


	20. Chapter 20

The incessant ringing of her standard cell phone ringtone woke Regina the next morning. Struggling to open her eyes and locate the source of the annoying sound, she slowly came to realize the soft warmth that she was currently using as a pillow was Emma's chest, and that there was an arm wrapped tightly around her, fingers lightly resting along her ribs.

Blinking sleepily, Regina next noted that her own fingers, which were resting comfortably in the valley between Emma's breasts, were tangled with Belle's, whose position mirrored her own. Soft puffs of surprisingly sweet breath ghosted over her face as Belle slept on peacefully.

Finally, Regina became aware of the hand possessively gripping behind her knee, which was draped across Emma's thighs. Ruby, although snuggled protectively behind Belle, had managed to snake her hand across both Belle and Emma to grip the former mayor in as gentle a grip as the other women.

It had not been often in her life that she had chosen to willingly share her bed, aside from Henry when he was younger. There were only a handful of times with Graham, and a rare few others since the king, often when she was too tired to force her companion from her chambers. But she had never awoken once, in any of those times, as entwined as she was now. And how natural the position felt, with these three other women, did not go undetected by the sleepy brunette.

The ringing of her cell phone filled the air again, interrupting her observations of the women in her bed. Extracting herself without waking them, Regina snagged her cell phone before moving to the washroom and closing the door gently behind her.

"Hello?" The caller ID on the number had stated unknown, but that did not mean that the call was not important. Likely it was either her secretary or a member of the council that currently presided over the town. Regina was expecting a call after the decisions she had made the previous evening, but she was prepared for their ire..

"Good morning Miss Mills. I trust you were expecting this call?" The nasally, pretentious voice of Albert Spencer caused Regina to frown. Not allowing Regina time to reply, Albert, formerly King George of the Enchanted Forest continued. "Of course you were, given your actions yesterday evening. As you are aware, you report to the council now and are an employee of the town. You have no power to make decisions independently of the council, need I remind you? As such, when we heard that you had instructed your secretary to cancel all meetings for the remainder of the week after authorizing a leave of absence for the Sherriff without our approval, we can only assume that you would be expecting a call to explain your actions."

"Why, good morning Albert. It's so wonderful to hear from you at such an early hour!" The sarcasm could not be missed in her tone, even by someone like Spencer. "I am certain you are aware that although my mayoral powers have been limited by the council, and the restructuring of the town charter, there are still certain instances that I am capable of independently making decisions. Such as the tenants in the town charter that have not yet been adjusted to include special personal circumstances perhaps? Given that you are part of the council, I am more than confident you are well-informed of that already."

When the council had been put in place to limit the influence Regina had as the mayor, she had resumed the position of Mayor in title and public position only. The charter had been rewritten to force Regina into a purely bureaucratic role, and it limited her ability to autonomously make decisions, except in certain situations. But if you did not read the charter carefully, you would not necessarily pinpoint the powers that remained. The amendments had also removed the Sherriff's department from under her control, limiting her contact with the Charming family in its entirety. As the changes had limited her interactions with Emma, Robin had further engaged her free time, creating the distance that had worried Regina previously.

"The Sherriff, by your own bylaw, still reports to the Mayor's office should a leave of absence be required for personal reasons and emergencies. It is still listed under the discretion of the Mayor to approve or deny any such requests, and given the climate of the town's panic last evening, it was authorized as a personal emergency. As for myself, I am entitled to both sick days and personal days. My rescheduling of my meetings this week, of which the first two days have been listed as personal days, are within my rights as your employee, as you so graciously have reminded me I am. The remaining days are to see to town business with regards to any reconstruction due to the damages caused by the Sherriff's accident. As we have the opportunity to have the repairs complete free of charge for the city, allowing us to remain within your very strict budget, I believed it best to oversee the repairs personally. Is that not also within my scope as Mayor, to maintain the town budget to the best of my ability?"

Regina knew that the council, at least certain members, would react badly to her decisions, and during her conversation with her secretary the previous evening she had been sure to account for their displeasure. Her secretary, a very lovely young woman who was very happy to no longer be just the daughter of a pig farmer, had assured her that her decisions were still well within her scope of responsibility, as she had been responsible for recording many of the revisions. She had also suggested the use of her personal days for the first 2 days remaining in the week and then the supervision of repairs as reason for the remaining days.

And now Regina could practically hear Albert's teeth grinding over the phone at being caught in the technicalities of his own laws. It sounded as if the microphone had been covered, as the conversation sounded very muffled, before Spencer returned. "It would appear you are correct and that will be addressed in council this week. That oversight will be corrected immediately. Howe-"

"My apologies Albert, but as I am under the weather, and off on a personal day, I feel I should be resting up for my return. Have a wonderful day." Not bothering to wait for a reply, Regina quickly ended the call, a smile tugging at her lips. _'And that is why my kingdom prospered and his fell.'_

Starting the shower, Regina knew that today would definitely be an interesting day.

* * *

><p>Ruby awoke to the sound of Regina closing the bathroom door. Wolf hearing had its advantages and hearing Regina put Spencer in his place, Ruby couldn't help but grin. That grin quickly faded as she heard the shower start and the very distinctive sound of clothing being placed in a hamper. <em>'Oh god. Not now. Not now. Just focus on something else. Anything else!'<em>

Since she had bitten Emma, Ruby had found herself becoming very aroused, very quickly, when around any of the other three women. Her arousal was almost as difficult to control as the wolf had been in her younger years. It was wild, driving, and completely instinctual. She had her mates around her and every drive in her wolf demanded she be with them. With Belle and Emma, it was much easier as she could act on the urges, when appropriate, but with Regina unmarked and untouched by her hand, it was a fight to stay in control.

Emma woke to the sounds of the shower running and Ruby's whimpering. Inhaling, Emma could scent Ruby's arousal which ignited her own, heat pooling low in her belly. "Hey." Looking around, Emma saw that they were not at the inn and the room carried Regina's scent heavily. "We're at Regina's?"

"Mmmhmm." Was Ruby's strained reply.

Fully waking, Emma could feel her body practically vibrating with energy and magic. It was almost as if she had drunk a case of energy drinks after bungee jumping, while having first being teased sexually for a week. "A-and are you are feeling as twitchy as I am right now?"

"And probably for the same reason. I need to get out of here and burn off some energy before we sit down to talk to Regina, or I will just end up staring at her and panting. What about you?" Emma was nodding at Ruby's sentiment. "Want to go for a run? We can head over and check out the house and then jump on the trail from there?"

"That sounds like a really good idea, followed by a very, very cold shower." There was no escaping the combined scent in the room of her mates and Emma was beginning to have difficulty remaining still. "Or maybe a swim? The water should be plenty cold this time of the morning."

Hearing that Emma was in the same state of tormented arousal and catching the scent of it in the air, Ruby's eyes flashed yellow. "Or we could skip the house and see who can make it to the lake, then back to our meadow the fastest."

"That sounds almost like a challenge. What do I get if I beat you?" The mischievous grin Ruby was wearing left no doubt that win or lose, she was going to enjoy the race.

"Last one back to the meadow has to do whatever the winner says for the rest of the day. No matter how embarrassing." Raising an eyebrow, Ruby knew that she would likely win, but it was still thrilling to finally have someone who might be able to keep up with her.

"Mmm, I think that's fair. Shall we?" Emma asked. Ruby may be faster and have slightly more endurance, but there is no way Emma will pass up an opportunity to compete with her mate, even only in jest. Plus there was always the chance that she might win, and the thought of Ruby obeying her willingly, even just for the day, bumped her arousal up another notch. Gently moving from the bed so as not to disturb the still sleeping Belle, Emma stretched fully, leaning back slightly to give Ruby a full view of her toned stomach.

Slipping from behind Belle, Ruby silently walked over to Emma and pulled her into a heated kiss. Snaking her arms around the blonde's waist, gripping her hips tightly, Ruby gently swiped her tongue against Emma's bottom lip seeking entrance that was quickly given. Winding her arms around Ruby's neck, Emma pressed her body flush against her mates and lost herself in the sensations the brunette provided. Tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of Ruby's neck, she tugged lightly, seeking to deepen the kiss further.

Feeling Emma moan into the kiss as she nipped at Emma's tongue, Ruby pulled away smirking. "Morning babe. Now how about you conjure some gear so we can get this show on the road?"

Blushing at how affected the kiss made her, Emma waived her hand, simultaneously switching both her and Ruby's clothing and sending Regina's clothing to the laundry hamper.

Not bothering to hold back a small chuckle, Ruby couldn't help but think about how surprised Regina would be to find that not only was her clothing not destroyed, but it was put away in the hamper. _'I know Emma never does that with her own clothing, so she must really want to make a good impression after our first night together.'_

Belle woke when twin kisses landed on her forehead from Emma and Ruby. They were both dressed to run and looking very flushed. Noting that the shower was running, Belle immediately understood the issue both women were having and judging from their jumpy reactions, they both needed some air. It was the first time that they had spent the night all together, and even she was able to scent the arousal on the two women. _'I guess the first thing I will experience is a heightened sense of smell.'_ But her mates were struggling, and Belle forced the thought away.

Realizing that they were not in their bed and their unclaimed mate was naked not ten feet from them, after they had spent the night warped around each other, Belle could only imagine the restraint her mates were struggling to maintain. Their instincts to claim Regina would be kicking in, as would her own soon, and wolves were very instinct-driven creatures. Even older wolves struggled to ignore their instincts regarding their mates. Belle was surprised they both hadn't combusted from their hormones yet, or taken the door off its hinges, it was a 50/50 gamble which it would be. Given the yellow eyes and muscles twitching in both of their arms, Belle knew they could not last much longer.

"Go. I will explain to Regina that you are feeling much better, and needed to burn off some energy. I'm sure we will have breakfast ready for when you get back. Regina and I still need to speak anyway about everything." Flashing a sleepy but understanding smile at the relieved expressions, Belle laid her head back down, burrowing back into the scent of her mates and the softness of the sheets.

Neither woman wanted to wait, so Emma drew on her magic and they disappeared in a puff of white smoke, off to run until they were both calm again. _'Lord, these sheets are heavenly. I don't know if I will ever be able to leave them willingly, not that I am truly opposed to that idea.'_

Almost asleep again, Belle heard a firm knocking on the front door. _'It's barely 8am. Who the bloody hell would be here this early?'_

* * *

><p>Appearing from the cloud of smoke, Emma took inventory with her heightened senses. She could smell the turned earth around them, the saps of the various trees that had lost branches, and the scent of her magic still hanging in the air. The entire clearing was exactly as they had left it, and not a single creature could be found there.<p>

"I really did some damage, didn't I?" Emma frowned, looking around again at the damage their mating had caused. "I kind of want to fix everything here too. This place feels important."

"First, we did this, not just you. As I recall, it takes two to mate properly." Ruby's eyes flashed yellow at the thought of their mating, her arousal from earlier barely diminished. "And second, there's no reason you shouldn't repair things. It feels special to me too, and your wolf pretty much said you need to exhaust your physical, mental and magical energy every day. So why not start here, with something easy like plants? We can go for our run after."

"Alrighty then! Let's see about putting our special place back in order again!" Clapping her hands together for effect, Emma squared her shoulders and raised her open palms towards the damage, exaggerating her efforts. Ruby could not help but smile at the silly antics, letting out a giggle as the blonde winked at her over her shoulder. "And abracadabra!"

The soft white glow that slowly extended from the sheriffs hands moved across the clearing like a mist, creeping over everything. At first, nothing noticeable, aside from the mist floating over the damaged areas, appeared to happen. Ruby began to worry if Emma had the strength to complete all of the repairs for the town without Regina's support, when suddenly the meadow began to shift rapidly. The broken branches reattached to the trees and bushes, the soil returned to its original location with the grass and moss knitting back over the areas seamlessly, and then it was Ruby's turn to be amazed. Slowly small red, purple, and blue flowers began to sprout, slowly covering the center of the clearing where they had consummated their mating. "Emma, they're beautiful."

As tears gathered in the corner of Ruby's eyes, Emma pulled her into a tight embrace. "I am glad you think so. I know it's too late in the season for them to grow, but I infused them with a bit of my magic, so they will be able to survive and bloom throughout the winter." As the tears began to fall from Ruby's eyes, Emma kissed them away. "Each one reminds me of each of you, every one with its own scent. Come see."

Following Emma, who was now grinning like a child on Christmas morning, Ruby noted that the flowers each smelt very differently than she expected. "Do those really smell like I think they do?" Ruby chuckled.

"Of course. The blue is for Belle, the scent of honeysuckle, sandalwood, and ink. The purple for Regina, the scent of coffee, leather, bergamot, and apples. And the red for you, my mate, the scent of chocolate, citrus, and mint." Blushing, Emma began to wring her hands while avoiding Ruby's confused gaze. "Like I said, this place feels special to me, and the scents make me feel, well, safe I guess."

"Oh Emma." Pulling the suddenly shy blonde into a heated kiss, Ruby was reminded that although Emma projects the confidence of her heritage, she has been hurt many times, especially by those who were meant to love her, to keep her safe, and she was as unsure as any of them when it came to their new dynamic. _'We will make sure she never feels alone again.'_

Breaking the kiss, Ruby led Emma over to the flowers, laying them both down, before pinning her again with a hungry kiss. Losing themselves in the sensations, Emma and Ruby let their hands wander up and down the sides of their mate, revelling in the sounds that were falling from between their joined lips.

Ruby shifted to straddle Emma's thigh, slipping her own between the blonde's. Grinding down into her, Ruby let out a low growl at the heat against her leg, repeating the action with more force. Parting their lips, Emma let out a groan, shooting desire straight to Ruby's core. Emboldened by Emma's responses, Ruby slipped her hand down between their bodies, cupping Emma's heat through her thin shorts. Growling in desire, Ruby pressed further into Emma, rocking her hips slowly into the back of her own hand.

Bucking up into Ruby's hand, Emma let out her own matching growl, her eyes flashing yellow in response to Ruby's. Gaze locking, matching looks of hunger in their eyes, Ruby and Emma flew back at the other, lips and teeth clashing in a battle for dominance.

Nipping and sucking at Ruby's bottom lip, Emma begged Ruby to allow her access to her mouth with small whimpers. Massaging her tongue against the firm muscle that sought out her own, Emma let out a desperate moan when Ruby began to gently suck her tongue.

Suddenly, both women parted with a gasp. Unsure as to the source, both women felt the anxious pull to return to the mansion. "Do you-"

"Yeah, you too?" Ruby had only experienced this once before, just the previous evening when Emma had fallen ill. But this time she felt a stronger pulse of anger, not the anxiety that was formerly present.

"I think we need to get back. We can continue this later." Leaning up to hungrily kiss Ruby, Emma smirked. "I _promise_." The desire, matched with the solidly yellow of Emma's eyes, had Ruby whimpering in her painfully heightened arousal.

Standing, before pulling Emma up to join her, Ruby made quick work of pulling the leaves from both of their hair, before pecking her on the lips. "I'm holding you to that."

Grinning, Emma pulled her power forward, enveloping them both in smoke as another punch of anger coursed through her. _'What on earth could have our mate this angry this early?!'_

* * *

><p>Presuming that whoever was at the door was likely expected, and would assume something was wrong if no one answered, Belle left the comfort of the bed and made her way downstairs to answer the door. If they were unexpected, they would continue to knock until someone answered, and would likely be in a much fouler mood at having to wait until Regina finished in the shower.<p>

As the knocking sounded again, Belle flipped the deadbolt and opened the door to greet whoever was there. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked upon seeing the identity of the person waiting on the porch.

* * *

><p>Cracking the door open and allowing the steam to begin seeping out into the bedroom, Regina quickly checked the bed and noted that it was empty. Ignoring the pang of disappointment at the vacant room, she moved quickly towards her closet, holding the towel tightly to ensure she remained covered. Making a quick decision, she opted for comfort for the coming day, and chose her preferred gardening clothing, a faded band shirt and jeans. <em>'I'm sure Emma would love to see me in these. Ruby too. And likely Belle for that matter.'<em> Humming to herself at the thought, Regina hastily began to dress.

Quickly making the bed, Regina couldn't help but wonder where everyone had gotten off to as she showered. She had hoped to speak to them all over breakfast this morning and had planned on making Emma's favourite apple and cinnamon pancakes for them. She knew Belle preferred tea whereas Ruby and Emma each preferred coffee, and she had been looking forward to showing off her culinary skills just a bit. _'How is it that I know all of that? Have I really been paying that close attention without even noticing? Maybe I am just reading too much into this.'_

Regina was broken from her thoughts by muffled shouting coming from the area of her foyer. It sounded like a male voice was yelling while she could barely hear a quietly accented voice responding. Momentarily elated to realize that her guests were likely still in her home, Regina immediately began to realize that she had another guest that she had not been expecting. _'Who would be here shouting at this hour? And at Belle no less.'_ Heading out to the landing to see who was raising such a ruckus in her home, Regina could clearly hear Robin's voice as he all but snarled at Belle, who she could hear patiently trying to calm the irate man down. _'Not in my home and not with my Belle!'_

* * *

><p>"Robin, I understand that you would like to speak to Regina, but she is in the shower and I assure you I am a welcome guest here today. If you would just like to take a seat, I'm sure Regina will be down in a few moments, and can answer any questions you may have."<p>

"I don't care if you think you are welcome here, I want you to leave, NOW! You have no right to be anywhere near Regina without my consent. You have made it quite clear that you are not willing to turn away from your perverted idea of relationships and until you do, I will not have you attempting to corrupt anyone else with your filth! You will leave now or I will throw you out myself, _princess_!"

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" Having heard enough of Robin's rant, Regina made her presence known, stalking down the stairs like the angry queen she was. Stopping a few steps from the bottom of the stairs, Regina focused her glare on Robin. "This is my home and you will do well to remember your place in it."

The angry sneer was quickly replaced on Robins face with what could only be described as a condescendingly smarmy smirk. "Regina, sweetheart, you have to understand. These women, they will corrupt you. I am only protecting you from their disgusting behaviours." Robin took a step towards Regina, hand extended in a placation gesture. "If you are around them, they will twist you to their own sick desires and ruin you. I have worked too hard for me to fail to protect you from them now."

Belle had remained silent when Regina appeared; content to watch her deal with Robin and his beliefs. But hearing him speak to Regina in such a belittling manner, she could not stop the words from leaving her mouth. "If you bloody well think that anyone could force Regina to bend to their desires, you must not be speaking of the same woman that is standing in this room. She ruled a kingdom that prospered more than any other, save Midas', and that was only because of his curse! She took the kingdom that Snow's father left behind, which was almost in financial ruin, and turned it into the envy of the realm! Hell, she ruled this town for almost 30 years and there was a surplus in every budget! Not to mention she personally negotiated every trade deal and alliance for her kingdom for years, and maintained the smooth operation of this town! She did all the hard work for herself, there and here, and you had nothing to do with any change that Regina has experienced! Everything she has done, she has done for herself. And if you think for one second she needs you to 'protect' her from us, you are sorely mistaken. She's the most capable woman in this town, and is quite able to make her own decisions without the likes of shite like you."

Throughout her rant, Belle could feel her body heating up, her anger rolling through her chest in waves. It felt as though her heart was thundering in her chest, her blood rushing through her system, and the edges of her vision felt like they were narrowing in on Robin.

The smirk immediately left Robin's face, replaced with a vicious snarl. "You shut your mouth, whore. You have no right to speak to me in such a manner and will learn your place!" Storming towards Belle, Robin raised his hand, moving to strike Belle, when several things happened all at once. A puff of white smoke appeared in the foyer, Regina raised her own hand calling forth her magic, and Belle's eyes flashed yellow for the first time.

As Robin swing his hand forward, Regina released her magic, sending Robin flying across the foyer, away from Belle to land directly in front of the clearing smoke. Looking up, Robin was met with two sets of angry yellow eyes. Ruby and Emma stood towering over Robin, fists clenched, as loud growls fell from their lips. Seeing Emma and Ruby tense to move towards Robin, Regina shouted in surprise. "STOP!"

Both Emma and Ruby froze, neither looking away from Robin, their growls continuing to reverberate deep in their chests. Walking down the remaining stairs, Regina moved over in front of Belle, whose chest was still heaving, eyes switching from crystal blue to vibrant yellow. "Belle, please, can you look at me?" Glassy eyes slowly blinked at Regina, unable to focus on the woman in front of her, her rage keeping her focussed on the man lying still on the floor. "You need to slow your breathing and calm down. Can you do that for me?"

As her vision began to clear minutely, Belle heard the concern in Regina's voice. Taking a deep breath full of Regina's scent, she was finally able to understand the words being spoken to her. Giving her a shaky nod, Regina breathed a sigh of relief, and gently took one of Belle's clenched hands in her own, silently opening it. Placing it above her heart, Regina continued to speak in a soft soothing tone, "Here, feel me breathing. Try to match it. Just watch me and breath with me, ok?"

No one moved as Regina cared for Belle. Ruby and Emma remained standing over Robin, and at any tiny movement he made, their growls rose; the threat to his safety if he tried anything was clear to everyone present. Thankfully he remained on the floor, observing the scene playing out before him.

"Come back to us, Belle. Everything will be fine. I know you are angry, but you need to come back to me, and help me with your mates. They are worried for you, as am I, and I need you to help me reassure them that you are ok. Can you do that for them? For me?"

Between the gentle tones of Regina's voice and the steady pulse under her fingers, Belle began to calm. Her vision return to normal and the rage she had felt began to fade. Shaking her head slightly, Belle was able to focus on the scene in front of her, only now realizing the danger that was present for the man seated on the floor. "There you are, my sweet Belle. Welcome back," Regina whispered.

"Y-yes. I'm here. I'm ok." Taking another larger deep breath, Belle noted several scents in the air. Strongest was Regina; she could smell the anger and magic mixed with her scent, but also something she couldn't quite identify. Next she could smell the faded arousal mixed in with both Emma and Ruby's scents. Finally, she could smell the forest musk of the man on the floor with equal parts of fear and anger mixed in. "I'm calm now. It's ok. Thank you."

Reaching up to gently cup Belle's cheek, Regina searched her eyes for a moment before nodding and moving to face the three remaining people in the room. "Ruby, Emma, Belle needs you to help her for a few moments. Could you please take her into the kitchen while I speak with Robin? I will be with you all shortly."

Belle took the cue to walk over; taking one of each of her mates' hands and led the still growling women off to the kitchen, although they offered no resistance to her. "We will be just in the kitchen if you need us." Eyeing Robin as she exited the room, Belle added solely for his benefit. "Just let us know, and we will be right with you."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary, dear." Flashing a small smile at the protective behaviour of the women exiting the room, Regina again felt a flutter in her heart. Turning back to face Robin, who was now getting to his feet, Regina let out a sigh at the conversation she was about to have.

Seeing that Robin was about to speak, Regina raised her hand to silence him. "Don't. You have no right to barge into my home, cause a scene, and attempt to strike my guest. You were in the wrong and not just with your behaviour today."

As Robin again opened his mouth to speak, Regina continued, cutting him off. "Did you, or did you not accost Belle in the library regarding her relationship with Ruby several months ago? Answer me."

"Regina, I don't know what these deviants have told you, but you have to understand I-"

Not waiting to hear anything further Regina continued. "Did you, or did you not offer your and your men's '_services_' to '_fix_' her? While you were in a relationship with **me**, no less? And did you become so aggressive that you had to be removed forcibly by the Sherriff, and were given a restraining order for Belle's protection? Answer me!"

As she continued, Regina's voice grew louder, her anger leaking through the mask of indifference she wore. "Is it also true that just yesterday you paid Belle a visit to offer her your services again?! **Answer me!**"

"I was trying to help her! She just needs a good man to show her the right way to be. She doesn't have to be corrupted by this sickness that the wolf is spreading. I would be able to help her too, just like I've helped you!" Robin was gesturing wildly, spittle flying from his lips by the time he had finished.

"Helped..me? How you have **HELPED ME?! HOW DARE YOU?!**" Hearing Robin admit that he had been offering to sleep with Belle while he had been in a relationship with her had hurt far more than she had expected to. But hearing that Robin believed he had somehow fixed her, that he had considered her to be broken somehow in the first place, crushed whatever sentiment Regina still held in her heart for him. He truly was just like the other nobles from the Enchanted Forest, bigoted and believing that a woman's place was at a man's side and her worth only found between her legs.

"Get out," Regina said, her voice deep and dangerous, the Evil Queen slipping through her tone. "We are done. You and your men will have no contact with me, Henry, or any other member of my family, including Emma, Ruby, and Belle. If you so much as sneeze in our direction, I will crush your heart in front of you and your men, slowly, so you can feel every ounce of agony that I can muster. And believe me, you will be begging for my mercy long before I am done."

"Regina, sweetheart, you don't-"

"**GET OUT NOW**!" Behind Robin the door to the mansion flew open, banging loudly against the wall as Regina lost control of her magic for a moment.

Opening his mouth again, Robin attempted to speak and try to persuade Regina to reconsider. "Bu-"

"She asked you to leave and I suggest you do as our Queen has asked, before you are unable to do so on your own." Moving from the kitchen, Belle came to stand beside Regina, her arms crossed angrily over her chest, her eyes flashing yellow again briefly.

"I will do no such thin-"

"Yes, you will. You have been asked twice now to leave. I think it's time you caught a clue, and left before you push either of these ladies any further," Ruby said, joining Belle beside Regina. She stood tall, but her stance was just as angry as that of the other women, her eyes solidly yellow.

"Regina, don't let these whor-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you Robin. Not one more word. I may have been Sherriff last time we spoke, but I am on leave right now and just like any other citizen of this town. And if you do not turn around right now with your mouth shut and leave this property, I will be escorting you out and will not hesitate to make it nowhere near as pleasant as last time. Your choice." Emma had joined the other women; standing on Regina's other side, her stance as protective as the others, eyes yellow, and her teeth bared in a menacing grin.

"Reg-"

"Wrong choice." Lunging forward with a snarl, Emma grabbed Robin's arm, disappearing in a puff of white smoke with him, only to reappear alone a moment later. Walking over to the front door and gently closing it, Emma turned to face the women still standing in the foyer. "Regina, are you alright?"

Regina had not moved since Belle had joined her. Her eyes were a violent shade of purple, churning with the emotion she was feeling. She seemed locked in place. No one moved as Regina's chest heaved, her entire frame shaking, tears gathering in her eyes.

Reaching a tentative hand out to gently cup her elbow, Belle was unprepared for the pained cry that left Regina's lips before she crumpled to the floor. Sobs began to wrack her body as the gathered tears began to pour from her eyes.

Rushing forward, Emma wrapped Regina in a tight embrace, as Ruby and Belle allowed Emma to support the crushed woman. As Regina again let out a wail, she began to shout incomprehensible words and beat against Emma's chest. Emma continued to hold Regina, allowing the woman to beat against her in her anguish. She had trusted Robin, had cared for him. And even if it hadn't been love, he had been the representation of her happy ending that Tinkerbelle had predicted all those years ago. And he had broken her heart.

"I've got you. You will be alright. I've got you," Emma murmured as Regina began weeping brokenly into Emma's chest, giving up her assault and collapsing forward. Gradually, she relaxed into the comfort that Emma offered, and as a second, and then third set of arms joined the embrace, Regina's crying slowed. Small hiccups leaving her as someone, she wasn't sure who, rubbed soothing circles on her back. Regina could not deny the comfort she felt being held this way, especially by these women who swore not to push her, and claimed to love her no matter if she loved them in return. It was something she had never before experienced, except from Emma, and it was calming.

Realizing that Emma had taken Robin from her home, and reappeared almost instantaneously, Regina realized that there were a number of possibilities of what had happened that she began to worry over. "What did you do to him?" Regina asked when she had regained enough of her composure to speak. "Where did you take Robin?"

Blushing, Emma hid her face in Regina's dark locks, holding her tighter for a moment, before moving back to give Regina space to move. Rubbing up and down the brunette's arms in an effort to comfort her further, Emma attempted to avoid the subject. "Let's get you off this floor and somewhere comfortable. We can talk about everything else later, ok?"

Pulling back to look the blonde in the eye, Regina was unsure she would like the answer she was seeking._ 'What if she miss-cast the transportation spell? What if she killed him? What if she hurt him, and he turns the town against her? Against them?'_ As her thoughts began to swirl into darker and darker worries about and for the women holding her, she began to panic at the blonde's avoidance. "Emma, what did you **DO**?"


	21. Chapter 21

David slowly awoke to the bright light filling the bedroom of his new home. It was well past when he had set his alarm for, and checking his phone, he saw that it was in fact almost 10am. Looking around, he found that he was alone in bed, save a note on Snow's pillow._ 'This can't be good.'_

Snow had not spoken a word to him since they had left town hall the night before, storming into the house silently, and immediately dressing for bed. When he had tried to speak with her about anything, she had simply huffed and rolled over. He knew that she had still been awake hours later when he had finally fallen asleep, but he hadn't expected her to disappear before he awoke. And now she was nowhere to be seen, with only a note to breach the silence.

'_**Charming,**_

_**I know that you wanted to talk this morning, but there is nothing for us to discuss. I know that you want Emma to be happy, as do I, which is why I am going to have to help her, even if she doesn't know that she needs it. She is my baby, and I love her too much to let this happen to her. **_

_**I have had time to think tonight about everything that Emma had told me yesterday. I realize that there is likely nothing we can do at this point about Emma being bitten, or her suffering the same curse as Red, so I am hoping that maybe Blue will be able enchant an object like Red's cloak, maybe the necklace that she always wears? Her curse can be a gift, giving her strength, and giving her an escape from the pressures of being The Saviour. Blue can help her learn control, and she won't have to be around the people who are trying to trick her. I though Red was our friend, but her trying to take Emma from us proves how much her sickness has affected her.**_

_**Regardless, I can't sit by and not help our daughter. She found us and broke the curse, saving us, and I need to save her now. I have never had a chance to really be her mother, to protect her from things, especially from making terrible decisions, but now I have that chance. My father was right to send me for those lessons, and they helped fix a part of me that was broken. I am so ashamed that my sickness was passed on to Emma. I have to make sure that she gets the help she needs so she can be as happy as we are.**_

_**She might not know it right now, but she can never be happy in a relationship like that; it's not natural or healthy. I am going to speak with Blue and with Father Frollo today, and hopefully they can help. Frollo helped me so much, no matter what you may say, and I am sure he can help Emma with this sickness too.**_

_**I have brought Neal with me to speak with Blue, and will leave him at the daycare until I have had a chance to speak with Frollo. We will be back tonight, and if you still want to talk, we can talk then.**_

_**All my love, always,**_

_**Snow'**_

"Damn it Snow!"

"Regina, I-"

"What the hell did you do?" Pulling back out of Emma's embrace entirely, but not moving to stand, she eyed the blonde with a mix of anger and wariness. She had wanted him gone, but not harmed, despite what she had said. _'What if she killed him? What would happen to her? To Roland? To her mates?' _When the answer was not immediately forthcoming, Regina began to panic, worry for both Robin and Emma beginning to cloud her mind. "Emma, what did you DO?"

"Nothing! I didn't hurt him or anything! I just, sort of, dumped him off the end of the docks, to cool him off. He was being an ass, he upset Belle enough that we felt it in the forest, and he hurt you! He deserved more than he got, but I know you wouldn't want him actually hurt, no matter how upset you are." Sitting back, Emma wiped her hands across her face before tucking her hair behind her ears. "As angry as you just were to threaten him, my lie detector was pinging off at every threat. I just wanted him gone before he hurt you more, before her hurt any of you more."

Looking down at her hand in her lap, Emma let her shoulders slump as tears gathered in her eyes. She had gone with her instincts, not truly harming the man, save for no doubt wounding his pride, and removed him from the house. But it seemed that Regina had not wanted that, and the crushing guilt for having gone against what she believed were her wishes was quickly sinking in. "I'm sorry."

"Oh Emma, no." Rushing back to pull the blonde to her, Regina immediately cupped both of Emma's cheeks, forcing her to meet her gaze. "He deserved what he got, much more in fact, you are right about that. I was, well, I was worried about everything. I didn't want you do something you would regret or would cause trouble for you." Wiping the remaining tears with her thumbs, Regina gave Emma a small smile, before pulling her into a hug.

The fierce grip the blonde held her in both soothed and excited her. _'Is it really so farfetched that we might be mates? She means as much to me as Henry. And Robin's words against Belle and Ruby snapped my control on my anger as quickly as if he had spoken of Emma or Henry.'_

After a few moments, Emma pulled back, and quickly stood, helping Regina to her feet as well. As Regina turned to face the other women in the room, she found herself swept up into an equally fierce embrace. Beyond shocked, Regina only paused a moment before returning the grip on the lanky brunette. As they pulled back, Ruby flashed a timid smile before lunging to Emma without a word, nuzzling her jaw and snuggling bodily into her embrace.

The look of love and contentment that both the Sherriff and the waitress wore was not lost on Regina. Looking to the last woman in the room, who wore a shy expression, Regina could only smile and hold open her arms for her as well. _'This feels more right than I can believe.'_

Gently wrapping her arms around the former queen, Belle inhaled her unique scent for the first time. _'God, she smells like heaven.'_ Not pausing to think of her actions, Belle began to nuzzle at Regina's jaw, catching the woman off guard.

Realizing the former mayor was frozen, and her actions, Belle quickly pulled back with a wary smile. Regina, breaking from her stupor, quickly turned from the women, moving towards the kitchen to hide her blush. "How about we have some coffee and then we can discuss everything? I am particularly interested in what you have to say about things, Ms. Swan."

Sputtering, Robin broke the surface of the cold ocean water, disoriented from the impromptu dip. "FUCK!" Seeing the docks a few feet in front of him, he made his way to the edge before hauling himself up onto the worn boards. _'Those whores! They bloody well twisted her. I had her fixed, and they pulled her in. But she's mine. I won't let her go.'_

Standing on the end of the dock, Robin began to wring out the drenched material of his jacket, when he heard a softly accented voice behind him.

"Given your sudden arrival here, I think we may have a mutual problem to solve Master Locksley. We are always looking for another ally in our cause, and I think you may have just been given a very good reason to join us. Care to join me for a drink?"

Coffee turned into breakfast, which turned into the preparation of a feast for them all, all before any talking was really done. Emma's stomach has grumbled at the scent of coffee, as had Ruby's, and Regina could not resist following through with her earlier plan.

Ruby and Regina worked flawlessly in the kitchen together, barely needing to speak a word, but each able to work perfectly around the other. Music played softly in the background as they worked, and Belle and Emma could not help but watch the way the other two interacted. They truly were in a world of their own when in the kitchen.

Not wanting to interrupt the domestic goddesses in their element, Emma and Belle moved out to the dining room to begin setting the table. Humming along to the music in the kitchen, Belle swayed to the music, finally feeling calm after Robin's amusing departure. "Are you sure he can swim? I don't think Robin is all too fond of water, given his hygiene routines." Belle was grinning naughtily at Emma, who was grinning in return at her comment.

"Honestly, I am not 100% sure, but there were people around, so he should be fine." Walking up behind Belle, Emma wrapped her arms gently around her waist, swaying to the beat with her.

Turning in the embrace, Belle brought her arms up to wrap around Emma's neck, snuggling under her chin. Speaking softly, Emma began to sing along to the music in the kitchen, Bailando having just come on.

"Yo te miro, se me corta la respiración. Cuanto tú me miras se me sube el corazón. Y en silencio tu mirada dice mil palabras. La noche en la que te suplico que no salga el sol." Pulling back sharply, Belle stared in wonder at Emma as she continued to sing.

"You accent that too well to only be singing along. Do you speak Spanish?"

Smiling softly, Emma nodded. "Among a few others. Don't know how to write any of them, but it came in handy to be able to ask around to some of the people who couldn't, or wouldn't, speak English about the jumpers I used to chase. Found more than one guy by asking his mother about him."

"What others can you speak?" Belle loved languages, often learning any new one that she came across as fast as she could. It had come in handy when she had been tracking the Yaoguai all those years ago. Those on the Star Trek forums she chatted on had taught her a couple as well, Kingon being her most recent favorite.

"I speak Spanish pretty well, English obviously, a little Italian but that mostly is just swearing, Gaelic, and Russian. I also know a little Cantonese, and have been practicing that with Mulan."

"Say something." Belle commanded, a glint in her eyes that Emma had seen the previous morning.

Knowing that Belle was demanding something of her, Emma couldn't resist being just a bit cheeky. "In which language?" Ruby had told Emma that Belle liked languages, but she hadn't realized it would be such a turn-on for her mate.

"Any of them. All of them."

"Принцесса, Я люблю тебя всей душой. A chomhlánaíonn tú dom ar bhealaí riamh bhí a fhios agam go raibh mé ar iarraidh. How's-" Emma was cut off as Belle slammed her lips into her, their teeth clinking with the force.

Feeling Belle's tongue against her lips, Emma allowed entrance, and was further lost to the taste of her mate._ 'MINE!'_ Moaning into the possessive kiss, Emma lost track of everything except the feeling of her mate, her hands gripping tightly at Belle's hips.

Hearing Emma speak so softly, first in Russian, and then in Gaelic, Belle felt every word shoot new desire straight to her core. _"Princess, I love you with all of my heart. You complete me in ways I never knew I was missing."_ Unable to resist, Belle pulled Emma's lips to her, demanding entrance with her tongue. Hearing the muffled moan, Belle pushed Emma back against the table, forcing her to rest on the edge, as she slipped her leg between Emma's thighs. _'MINE!'_

Pulling back with a sharp gasp, Belle was shocked to recognize the voice of her wolf for the first time, before she began to feel her desires overwhelm her. Kissing along Emma's jaw and down her neck, Belle nuzzled the unmarked skin where her shoulder met her neck. Belle drew a deep groan from Emma when she began lightly nipping at sensitive flesh. "Mine." Sucking hard, Belle did not fight the urge to mark Emma. She wanted everyone to see that she had claimed her mate.

Hearing Belle claim her, and feeling the mark being left on her neck, Emma let out a low growl of pleasure, her wolf revelling in the intent. Pushing back, she reversed their positions, pinning Belle against the nearest wall, drawing one leg up to hitch over her hip. Running her hand up Belle's thigh, Emma drew her hand back down, scratching her nails over the skin and leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. "Yours." Emma panted against Belle's lips, before diving back in for another heated kiss.

Following Regina from the kitchen to the dining room, Red nearly dropped the plates she was carrying as Regina stopped short in front of her. Confused, Red looked around the room, and immediately noted the cause. Emma had Belle pressed up against the wall beside the door, locked in a heated embrace._ "Yours."_ Scenting the air, she noted it was heavy with the scent of her mates' arousal, as well as Regina's, who was still staring open mouthed at the pair._ 'Good to know.'_

Seeing that no one else was of the mind to speak up, Red broke the silence, knowing that there was a good chance they would pounce on her as soon as they noticed her there. "Ok. I reeeaally get wanting to jump her no matter where or when, but show a little restraint Emma, we are guests here."

Breaking apart, Belle and Emma's eyes were both faintly glowing yellow, shocking both the brunette women. Pushing ahead, Red continued on into the dining room, placing the plates on the table, before cocking her hand on her hip. "And don't make me stick you in my cloak to keep your hormones in check either. You know I will."

Breaking from the fog of their desire, Belle and Emma both shook their heads, blushing furiously as the stepped away from the wall, subtly straightening their clothing. "Sorry about that. We just got a little lost."

Finally waking from her voyeuristic trance, Regina took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Hoping desperately that none of the wolves made comment about her clear arousal, Regina resolved to take some time for herself later that day. _'Later. We can think about this later.'_

"Why don't we sit down, have some of this lovely food that your mate helped cook, and then we can discuss the ever increasing list of urgent matter?" Gesturing to the table, Regina took her usual place at the head of the table. Emma seated herself to Regina's right, Ruby and Belle to Regina's left.

As everyone took a sip of their respective drinks, Emma's stomach gave a loud growl at the scent of all of her favourite breakfast foods. There were plates of eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes with sautéed peppers and onions, toast, fruit, and French toast with real maple syrup. For only four people, there was enough food to feed an army. For a growing werewolf, it looked just right.

"I think I've died and gone to heaven. This looks and _smells_ so good!" Emma was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning, eyeing each woman in turn. "Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you approve." Regina could not help but beam at the praise, sharing a shy smile with Ruby. "Well, you had better start before it gets cold."

"Thank you so taking the time to see me today Blue. Has Snow been to seed you yet?" David hoped that he had made it to see Blue before Snow had gotten there, hoping to speak to her about his concerns, for both his wife and his daughter.

"I have not yet seen the Queen today Majesty. Was there something she was seeking my counsel on?" Blue had some idea of the situation that was developing, as several of the council members, as well as concerned citizens had approached her the evening before to questions her about the wave.

Sighing heavily, David gestured to the seats in the room, silently asking to sit. "There are a few things that have happened in the past few days, and I am worried about how Snow is handling them. Given that you were at the meeting last night, you know that Emma was the cause of the wave. Do you know more than that though?"

"I am aware that the wave was created by Emma's magic, yes. I am also aware that it was a form of True Love magic. The princess has met her fated love then?" Although she was annoyed that Regina had publically volunteered her to check the wards placed by Emma and herself, she was happy to hear that Emma had found her True Love. The fairies thrived on helping those in need find happiness, and there had not been many opportunities in this new land to cultivate symbols of True Love.

"First, is it possible for Fairy dust to be wrong about someone's True Love?" David had been think over all night about the fact that Emma and Ruby had created that wave, and as accepting as he was, he was still worried that his little girl would be hurt.

"There are very rare cases where the dust is wrong. In that situation, the dust is considered tainted and highly unstable. If the dust had failed, it would have had the reverse effect, showing the person they are least meant to be, rather than their True Love. The last time that we had tainted dust many, many years ago, we disposed of it as soon as it was safe to do so, but a small portion of it was lost and never recovered. Is the princess' fated that obviously a poor match?" Blue was highly concerns now, as it was beyond rare for that amount of power to be released in anything other than a True Love bonding.

"Is it possible for someone to have more than one True Love? At the same time, I mean?" David was sure that Emma was not lying, but there was a persistent doubt that had been bothering him since Snow had been so adamant that Emma was being manipulated.

"There are only three known instances of someone receiving more than one True Love in their life time, and only one occurred simultaneously. Majesty, have you ever heard of the White Wolf?"

"Do you mean the ruler of the wolves that had three mates? I heard about them for the first time yesterday." Sitting back David his hands over his face. There was no point in beating around the truth any longer, and Blue had always held his confidence when asked. "In the strictest confidence, I will tell you. Emma created that wave last night. The person she created it with was Ruby."

Unable to stifle a gasp, Blue was unable to speak for several minutes. "The dust that I used to confirm Ruby and Belle's True Love was pure. There is no possibility that it was wrong. Has the princess been bitten?"

"It was an accident the other night, barely a graze from what Emma told me, but it was enough. She is showing sign's already, much faster than Granny, or anyone really, expected."

"And Her Majesty is not taking this news well?"

"No. She is coming here to ask you today to help her convince Emma that it's not true. She is also seeking out Father Frollo to help her try to convince Emma as well."

Not bothering to hide the look of distaste at the mention of the priest, Blue began to understand some of the concerns that were being raised. "Her Majesty intends to ask me to prove that Emma does not share True Love with Ruby and Belle? I can perform the spell, but given the wave from the other night, it is very likely that the outcome will not be what Her Majesty believes it will be. Are you of the same mind, that this is not a suitable union for the princess?"

Thinking for a moment, David knew that all he really wanted for his daughter was to be happy, no matter what. "I just want Emma happy. Whether that is with Ruby and Belle, some prince, or with no one at all, as long as she is happy, that is all I have ever wanted for her."

"Then I think we should stop waiting here, and see if we can head this off before it escalates any further."


	22. Chapter 22

After loading up and finishing three plates, Emma sat back with a very satisfied grin. "I don't think I could eat another bite. That was probably the most amazing meal I have ever had."

"High praise given how often you dine here each week." Regina sassed, blushing lightly at the praise.

"Regina, seriously, this was delicious. You both made an amazing meal. Thank you so much." Belle twined her fingers with Ruby, seeing her own blush tint her cheeks.

Kissing the back of Ruby's hand, Belle turned back to the other women, knowing they did need to address things before they had any further interruptions. "Emma, I think you should start the discussion. I know you are probably anxious to get your part out of the way."

Straightening in her seat, Emma gave Belle a brief nod before locking her gaze with Regina's. "I'm sorry. I had no right to keep anything from you, even if it was meant to protect you. I didn't think things through properly from your side of things, and I will admit I also was a bit scared of how you would react to the news. I already love you Regina, and regardless of anything that has gone on in the past few days, that won't change for me. I just hope you can forgive me for not putting everything out there right away."

Fixing the blonde with a stern glare for several moments, until she began to fidget in her seat, Regina finally let her mask slip away. "We've already been over this Emma, I'm not going to just toss you away, regardless of outside circumstances. You are stuck with me, like it or not."

"If there's more meals like this in my future, I think I am getting the better end of this arrangement." Laughing loudly and grinning from ear to ear, Emma felt the tension in her shoulders relax. _'Our mate knows we would never hurt her intentionally.'_

"That's it?! All that build-up about needing to talk, and you let her off with a glare?!" Ruby stared at the two grinning ladies across from her. "Seriously?!"

Unable to contain their laughter, Emma and Regina started chuckling, which soon Belle joined in on, followed shortly by Ruby herself. As the laughter began to taper off, all four women wiping tears from their eyes, Belle was the first to speak. "After everything we have seen between Emma and Regina, that is far from 'it'. Emma apologized for what she did, in earnest, and Regina has acknowledged and accepted her apology. They both understand where the wrong was, and why it happened. But rest assured our dear mate is likely going to have to grovel before she gets another meal like this one anytime soon, at least from this kitchen." Laughing again at the shocked pout that had graced Emma's lips as she spoke, Belle turned to Regina. "How close am I?"

"Very close, but it wouldn't do to starve a growing werewolf. She might go feral and attack my refrigerator if we don't keep her properly fed." Pausing for a moment to share a small smile with Belle, Regina began speaking again. "Now that we have broached the topic, I would like ask, did your wolf speak for you last night as well? Are you drawn to me as your mate as well?"

Sitting up straight, Emma put as much conviction and emotion into her words as she could. "Although my wolf is still somewhat separate, it is very much a part of me. What the wolf said is true, we are drawn to you as our mate. I know that may be a lot to take in, hell everything that has happened over the past few days is, but I know how I feel, how my wolf feels, and I won't run from it." Watching as Regina picked up her coffee for a sip, Emma couldn't hold back her own question any longer. "How do you feel about it? About everything?"

"Truthfully, I really haven't had much time to process anything yet. There are so many things that have changed seemingly overnight, but at the same time, it feels like nothing has really changed at all. I have been taking a page from your book, and have been 'following my gut' about everything, and so far, nothing has seemed wrong." Pausing for another sip of her coffee, Regina looked at the women around her while considering her next words. She knew how she was feeling, and hoped that saying things aloud may help them understand as well.

"The most surprising thing for me is that I don't feel more upset about Robin and you having ejected him from the house today. I am angry that he would betray me like that, but I think in my heart I knew that he wasn't the right person for me. Maybe many years ago I would have been able to be the person he wants, but at the same time, I feel like I would have eventually been just as unhappy with him as I was with the King. He is very much the typical noble in his attitudes regarding women and their station, but having my mother as a role model, as terrible as she was, I never truly saw women as being the weaker sex. In some cases, although physically weaker, women were often the ones to provide the real strength to a family and kingdom. As much as my mother sought power, she was smart and needed a great deal of strength to get to where she did." Blushing, Regina quickly realized that her ramblings had given voice to her innermost musings from the past few years. She knew that her mother was evil without her heart, and that she had done many terrible things to many people, herself included. But she also understood all too well her mother's struggles in having any say in her own station in life and destiny.

Uncertain at how the other women at the table would take her confession, Regina quickly began explaining further. "I am not saying the way she went about things was right, or that any of the things she did was permissible in any way, but being raised to be a ruler the way she did, it give me a bit more of a spine when it came to many things in my life. If I had gone into that tavern that night and met Robin, I think I would be in the same place that I am now. I think I would have been in just as much pain, and that eventually it would have led me to the same path. Not through destiny or fate, but simply because the core parts of my personality would rebel, and I would be unable to force myself to submit to someone simply because they were male."

"Never really thought about it like that." Ruby was the first to speak, the table having been shocked into silence at the admission. "For what it's worth, I know we are all sorry that he treated you like that. We should have said something sooner."

"I don't think it would have made a difference, dear. I wouldn't have listened to you until I was ready to hear it. Seems I'm stubborn in that regard." Chuckling dryly, Regina found that her coffee was gone, so instead she began playing with her mug. "At least your reason for not telling me was out of consideration. But in the future, I would appreciate it if I could be given all the information and allowed to make my own decisions from there, from all of you."

Seeing all three women nod their agreement, Regina decided to broach the main topic, certain that the other women would avoid it as long as possible. "As for my reception of the idea, I would not necessarily be opposed to something like this, but for now, I think I will have to ask that you give me time to process and properly mourn my previous relationship. I haven't had the healthiest way of dealing with break-ups in the past, and would like to avoid any of my darker tendencies if possible. I am, however, interested in building our friendships. Is that something you each would be interested in?"

Emma knew that she couldn't fault Regina's logic, but she still felt the sting of disappointment that Regina wished to remain only friends for now. She would never push her, especially given how drastically things had changed in all of their lives in the past few days, but she had hoped that perhaps Regina had already felt some of the draw that she recognized as their mate bond. Even if a friend was all that she could ever be to Regina, she would still love her from afar, and that would have to be enough for her. "I won't speak for anyone else, but I think that's more than fair."

Belle was unsurprised at Regina's declaration, and secretly was pleased that she was taking the time to truly get to know them, something she had not really done with Robin Hood. Although they all came from the same land, and had known each other through various means, not to mention the pull she felt to the dark Queen, Belle had had very little experience in the past with relationships. Rumplestiltskin had been her first relationship, and it had not been consensual on her part. Her relationship with Ruby had always been lurking below the surface, even when she was her cursed self, and when she was freed from Rumple, she easily moved into her first real relationship. She had gotten to know Emma over time, and their relationship felt as natural a progression as learning to run after learning to walk. But Regina had always been a bit aloof, and as much as she knew about the brunette, there was still so much more that she wanted to know, needed to know before allowing herself to fall. "I think that is a wonderful idea Regina. It would be nice to know everything about you, not just what I have learned in small bits."

Ruby was torn. Her instincts were rebelling at her, demanding she claim her mate, but her human rationale was fighting back that she needed to give Regina time to truly know them all, and to fall for them on her own. "You both are right. It would be great to get to know you better, and to see where things go from there. No need to rush. Maybe we could do things together that we are all interested in, and just spend some time that way?"

"That sounds like a very good plan. I greatly enjoyed having someone in the kitchen with me who I didn't have to worry would set a pot of water on fire." Sneaking a glance at the blonde, who wore a look of offence, Regina grinned at Ruby. "I think at the new house, there should be a sprinkler system in the kitchen, just in case."

"Hey, that only happened, like twice!" Emma grumbled, causing the other women to burst into laughter again. "It's not that funny!" Pouting and crossing her arms, Emma waited as the laughter slowly died out.

"Regardless, I think it would be wonderful to spend time around each other and get to know each other. Since Emma and I will be working closely for the next few days on your new home and the repairs around town, perhaps we could all have dinner here for the next few nights?" Brilliant smiles lit up at Regina's suggestion, and she was secretly ecstatic that she would have time for herself as well as with all three women. "And I know that this all still fairly new to everyone, but given that there are a number of rumours already going around town, I think that before dinner this evening would be a good time to talk to Henry about all of the changes. What do you think?"

"I think that would be best. Snow and David are already aware of the changes with me, so it would be best for Henry to hear about it from us first before anyone else. Although, I think we may need to discuss what to tell Henry, in general. We haven't really talked about things much ourselves." Emma mused.

"Well, Henry is a very smart young man, and well versed in fairy tales. I don't think it would be much of a leap for him to understand prophesy, not to mention the True Love aspect of things." Smiling to herself, Belle began to list all of the book on prophesy that she thought Henry would enjoy. "I would hope to be able to share some of my texts that I think he would find enlightening."

"Not to mention the kid already loves my milkshakes, so I don't see there being _any_ issue with having me around more often." Grinning, Ruby winks at the ladies around the table. "Kids gotta get his sugar-fix somewhere."

"I think Miss Swan has that covered in spades, dear." Raising a single eyebrow, Regina attempted to glare at Ruby, but found a smile breaking through almost immediately. "But back to the task at hand. Emma, why don't we go take a look at the house this morning, and see if we can get it finished for you. I know that you are eager to get moved in there, now that you are no longer living at the loft. Do you ladies have to be at work today, or would you be able to accompany us there?"

Sharing a brief look, Ruby and Belle smiled. "I think we can afford a day off to go see our new home."

Standing outside the house, Regina could see all of the work that had been put into the building. It was amazing the different that Emma had been able to make without anyone know it was her. "You did all of this by yourself?"

Shuffling awkwardly, Emma put her hands into her back pockets before shrugging. "I like working with my hands to fix things. It's not a big deal."

"Emma, technically I created this house, and I had 28 years to know just what condition it was in for all of those years. When did you find the time to get all of this done?" Regina was shocked at the changes she saw around the interior of the house. The house itself had been a representation of the kind of home that she hoped that she and Daniel would have shared, filling it with their children and their love. It had everything she could want, as did her own mansion, when she enacted the curse. But her dreams had long since been crushed, and the curse had manifested that in the rot and crumbling structure that should have been her dream home.

At one point, she had made enquiries into having the home restored, and was told in no uncertain terms that the house was almost to the point of being condemned, and that she would be better off to tear the house down and build new. It had hurt to hear that like her dream, the house could not be saved. Regina had never truly looked at it again, until today, but she did not know how to explain any of what she was feeling about the house, or its origins to the women around her.

"Here and there, whenever I had time. Most of the interior work I did when I couldn't sleep at night and the bigger stuff I usually did when there were events going on that I didn't need to be there for. I just wanted space and something to keep me busy." Shrugging off the awed look in the brunette's eyes, Emma shifted uncomfortably.

"You did this when you felt like running, didn't you?" Ruby spoke up, knowing that Emma was only truly shy about things that she considered deeply personal.

"I wanted to have a home, somewhere that was safe from everyone and everything. I've never really had that, aside from when I had my bug." Running her hand along the carved wood railings of the front porch, Emma refused to meet any of their eyes.

Knowing that Emma was silently waging a war in her own mind, waiting for one or all of them to tell her that her efforts were not good enough, to reject her hard work, and by extension her, Belle stepped forward to wrap her in a gentle embrace. With her arms around Emma's neck, she played gently with the fine hairs there. "The house you have been building is truly stunning Emma. Thank you for everything you have done for our home, and for asking us to come live with you here." Placing a small kiss on her lips, Belle stepped back, slipping her hand into Emma's and giving it a squeeze. "Why don't you show us around?"

"Yeah! This place is huge. It reminds me of my cottage back in the Enchanted Forrest, only much, much larger. You up for playing tour guide, so we don't get lost?" Ruby grinned, sending Emma a wink, before looping her arm around Regina's.

Shocked that Ruby was being so casual about holding her arm, Regina struggled to reconcile her thoughts and feelings. _'It is unexpected, but doesn't feel the least bit awkward. I think I think I should feel uncomfortable, maybe guilty for finding this as relaxing as it is, especially after the scene this morning with Robin, but just like last night, it feels right somehow." _Forcing the thoughts from her mind, Regina allowed herself to follow her gut-instincts, and simply placed her hand over Ruby's and turned to Emma and Belle expectantly.

Leading the way up the front stairs, Emma began describing the work she had done. "When I first bought the place, everything was pretty run down. I started by pulling out all of the rotten wood, and stripped it down to the bare frame. Surprisingly, everything seems to be mostly surface rot. Couldn't tell that from when I did the initial inspection. If I were to take a guess, no one would be able to tell without tearing things apart. Lucky for me, the base of everything seemed to just need a lot of work."

"I have a bunch of tools in the garage from when I did restorations work, a bunch more I got from Marco at a great price. After I put the new boards down for the base, I hand-carved the top rails and spindles from some trees that were downed in the back yard. Saved a ton using the trees, and got a bunch of the clean-up done too." Absently running her hand over the smooth railings, Emma continued on towards the door. "This was the original door. It was in pretty rough shape, but I managed to salvage it. I stained in a deep cherry to kind of look like yours, actually, only the natural version. There is just something about a red door that makes me think of home." Turning to Regina, Emma blushed slightly, gesturing to the porch for inspection.

The women examined the wood work, noting the many small details that you would miss if you didn't look closely. "How many trees were down back there? It looks like you would need a forest for all the wood on just the porch here alone. Does it go the whole was around?" Ruby asked, half to herself. Just at the front of the house alone she had counted at least 50 spindles.

"Some of the branches were quite long. It actually came mostly from 2 trees, believe it or not. I was able to get 10 pieces from one branch. And there was one tree that was down completely. It was pretty massive, and I had a lot of fun taking the chainsaw to it to get more manageable pieces." Smirking at Regina, Emma gestured toward the side of the house. "How about I show you what's left of it?"

Belle quickly rejoined Emma's side, linking their hands, as Ruby again took Regina's arm. Making their way around the side of the house, Belle and Ruby were surprised at the true size of the house. "This place is massive! I never realized just how big it really it!"

"I am quite surprised as well. And what is that building over there. I thought it was the garage, but I looks more like another house or a bran from this side." Belle squeezed Emma's hand, who returned the gesture with a smile.

"It's actually a bit of both. I was confused by it as well when I first bought the place. The exterior looks like a barn, but there are 4 garage doors on the side. Inside it was actually completely empty space, same with the second floor." Looking to Regina, Emma continued. "I think that the curse didn't quite know what to do with it, as it seems like a mash-up of both. I redid the floor in concrete on the main level, and turned the back half of it into a workshop. That's where all the tools that I use on the house are. There are also a bunch of car maintenance tools there too, although I haven't used them much since the Bug died."

Ruby blushed at Belle's statement, but did not speak up. She had felt terrible for months about having landed on Emma's car, as she knew just how much the Bug meant to the blonde. That was part of the reason she had insisted on helping her shop for her new vehicle. That and she knew just what the blonde should be driving.

"You really have done a lot of work here Emma. This is truly amazing. Would you like to give us the grand tour of our new home?"


	23. Chapter 23

Seeing the Dark One standing next to the one who was considered the most pious man in all of the Enchanted Forest was surprising. But he was beyond incensed at the audacity of the blonde Sherriff, and was willing to listen to anyone who was willing to help, even the man who had once tortured him.

"So how is it that you gentlemen think you can help me?" Robin had never been a devout man, but he had heard the stories of how the priest had helped many women and men to overcome their confusion regarding homosexuality. There were rumours that Frollo had at one time struggled with his own demons as a young man, and had now dedicated his life to helping others.

"Given your arrival this morning off the end of the dock, I would assume that you have fallen out of favour with the Queen?" The Dark One had always been a calculated beast, so far as Robin knew, and his shrewd observation of situation unnerved him. "And given her abrupt departure from the town hall last night with the Saviour, I would also postulate that she is involved in the falling out?"

Robin, for all his cunning in thievery, was a very trusting man, and did not hesitate to pour his heart out to the man. "She's been corrupted by those whores. That **wolf** has poisoned her against me, has poisoned them all. I've tried to help Belle, but she has chosen to stay with that vile creature. And now the Sherriff has been bitten too! It won't be long before that **thing **has bitten them all and turned them into her whores. We have to help them!"

Adopting a compassionate expression, or at least his approximation of one, Frollo knew that he would have the full support of what he wanted to do. "And we will Master Hood, we will. We have allies in helping these poor women, and as strong as these demons that grip them are, we will free them. They will know the proper love of a man again." Patting Robin's shoulder firmly, he began leading the man away from the shore, towards the hovel the curse had gifted him with.

* * *

><p>Unsure where else she would be, David and Blue headed to the diner first, hoping to head Snow off before she could confront Emma. <em>'Hopefully she will listen to Blue, if no one else.'<em>

The jingle of the bell on the door announced their arrival, and as hoped, Snow was seated at a booth in the back with someone, although not someone they expected to see. Granny and Snow each sat with a steaming cup in front of them, both glaring at the other and not speaking. As they approached, Granny spoke up, her gaze never leaving the princess'. "Good morning Blue, Charming. I assume you are here to talk some sense into this one?"

Scoffing and crossing her arms petulantly, Snow looked away, choosing to glare at the wall instead of responding, gently rocking Neal's seat on the tabletop.

"Good morning Eugenia. Yes, we are here to speak with Her Majesty. Could we trouble you for a cup of coffee, by chance?" Blue hoped that her presence would sooth Snow, and perhaps she could help heal some of the pain that she could always sense in her as well.

"Sure thing, Blue. But I won't have her behaving like she did yesterday, or saying those hurtful things about her best friend, her daughter, or their mate." With a pointed look, Granny made her away from the table, gathering mugs for their drinks.

Not waiting for either person to speak, Snow immediately began speaking. "Charming, thank goodness you found Blue. I've-"

"Snow, we agreed to talk about everything this morning, including discussing what, if anything we were going to do about your concerns. I've spoken with Blue, explained the situation, and I think you should listen to what she has to say." Cutting her off before she could really get into her rant, David took the seat at the edge of the table, blocking Snow in. "Blue?"

"Good morning, Your Majesty. David has informed me of your concerns regarding the wave from the other night, and who was involved. He has also informed me that you are seeking to clarify that it was a misunderstanding?" Hoping that the Queen would explain her concerns and what she hoped for, in her own words, Blue began to lead the conversation.

"Yes. There has to be some type of mistake, and we need to show Emma that she is not really like that, and that there is a prince out there for her instead. I know you can cast the spell to confirm True Love. Could you do that again? Make Emma see that she's just confuse-"

Snow was once again interrupted, this time by the slamming of mugs onto the table. "As I said before, I won't have you spouting your nonsense in my diner. If you two agree with her, you lot can march yourselves out that door right now, and not come back." Crossing her arms and giving them a glare, Granny waited for any of them to speak up.

"Eugenia, you know that the Fairies support and promote love, especially True Love. Now if you would be so kind as to let us have our discussion, without interruption, we would greatly appreciate it." Blue was a patient fairy, but even she had her limits; uncalled for rudeness being one very high on that list.

Sighing, Granny knew that she had jumped the gun, and was being unfair because she was upset with the spoiled Princess. "You're right. That was uncalled for, Blue. You have always done what you could to support my Ruby and Belle. I'm sorry for my behaviour."

"Apology accepted. If you would please have a seat, I would greatly appreciate your knowledge on the White Wolf history for this conversation." Sliding over, Blue made room for Granny to sit.

"Now, as you were saying Your Majesty, you believe that the Princess' True Love is not Ruby and Belle, and would like to have me cast a spell to prove this for you?" Receiving a nod in confirmation, Blue continued. "I will be more than happy to cast this spell for you, provided we can agree on a few conditions."

"Conditions?! You've never put conditions on your help before!" Snows voice had become shrill with her disbelief, waking Neal, who promptly began whimpering.

Reaching past his wife, David pulled Neal from his seat and began cooing at him gently. "Shh, shh. It's alright buddy. Mommy is just a little upset. She'll be ok soon. Shh." Bouncing him slightly, David was able to settle Neal back down quickly. "You were saying Blue?"

"Thank you, Your Highness. As I was saying, there are a few conditions for me to cast this spell, as this does not directly involve you. This only directly affects the Princess, Ruby and Belle. So long as they agree, I am more than happy to confirm their relationship. I will also ask that you listen to the history that I am asking Eugenia to recite for us, as well as the Prophesy that was foretold. If after hearing what we have to say, you still wish to proceed with the spell, we will approach the Prince. But I have to ask, what will you do if the spell reveals that they are destined for each other?"

Looking from Blue's calm expression, to the clearly grudging glare of Granny, and finally to the ever hopeful look in David's eyes, Snow was torn. She knew that Emma couldn't be that way; that it was wrong to feel like that. But having the epitome of goodness, the Head Fairy, hinting that there was something much larger at play, that it may be fate, gave her pause. _'Could it be true? Could it be real?'_

Looking to each of them again, Snow took a deep breath. Pushing past the voice that screamed in her mind that it could never be true, she opened herself to consider it. "I honestly don't know."

"It is quite alright to be uncertain, Your Majesty. All I ask is that you listen, and consider what we have to say, before you make decisions that will affect the rest of your life." Reaching across the table, and placing her hand over Snow's, Blue gave it a small squeeze of reassurance.

Nodding to Granny, Blue continued to hold Snow's hand, hoping that they could reach her, and begin to help her heal.

"A very long time ago, there was a wolf. The White Wolf."

* * *

><p>Opening the door, Emma knew that they would be underwhelmed at what they found. As much work as she had put into finishing the exterior, the interior had needed a lot more work. She had taken out almost every wall, and brought the house back down to its bare frame. There were even areas where she had to take out sections of the floor.<p>

Regina was not surprised at the bare frame of the house, but it still stung to see what should have been her dream home in such a state. Bare frame and wires were visible everywhere, all of the rot and damage stripped away. _"Much like Emma did to my life as well."_ As much as it hurt to see everything torn away, she knew it was necessary to begin the restorations of the home itself.

Belle was amazed at the open concept of the homes layout, seeing past the bare wood to what the house could turn out to be. There were clearly rooms divided off, some clearly meant for certain purposes, such as the kitchen, while others were open to whatever they chose to make them.

Ruby was awestruck with the sheer amount of space that the house afforded. She had for a time lived in Snow's castle, but had found it oppressive, as it had been passed down through King George's family, and the entitlement and segregation of the less affluent was very evident. Servant's quarters and passageways were well hidden throughout, and often still used when the White Princess and Prince Charming had taken over. Here the space, although painfully bare, felt open and welcoming, like you were expected to feel at home in the warmth it would offer.

"I know it's a bit of a let-down after the detail outside, but I haven't had much time to really do much except clear out everything so it can all be fixed." Hands firmly in her back pockets, Emma toed the floor with her boot, not able to meet the gaze of the other women.

Gently taking one of the hands from her pocket, Belle was the first to speak. "There is nothing wrong with it. There is so much potential for us to truly make this ours, and I can tell just how much work it took to get it to this point. You have done so much hard work, and I for one am very happy that I get to help you finish our home."

"Belle's right. You can really tell just how much had to be done, just by how much has been taken away. And besides, who wants a ready-made house. We asked for a tour of our home." Pecking the blushing blonde on the cheek, Ruby grinned at the other women before looking around again. "We really do get to make it our own this way."

Lost in her own thoughts, Regina remained silent; looking around the shell of what had once been her dream. To see it truly stripped bare, Regina began to realize that although she had once wanted a home to grow her family with Daniel in, this would never have made him happy. They would have been happy to have anything, but standing in the open space, she knew that he would have not been comfortable with what she had envisioned for them. He was a simple man, had lived a simple life, and as welcoming as even this empty shell felt, he would likely have felt that she deserved something like this, something he could never have provided her.

"Regina?" Ruby's hand was soft on her shoulder, barely any pressure at all, really. But it felt like the weight of the world as the truth settled firmly into Regina's mind. This was never a home for Daniel. This was a home for her family. Just what that truly meant, she wasn't yet sure. But she would figure it out.

"Hmm?" Shaking her head to clear the sudden revelation, Regina refocused on the here and now, and the three women before her. "Sorry, just lost myself for a moment there. You really have done an excellent job in here Emma. They had said that it would be better to tear it down completely and rebuild, but I never had the heart to let it go."

"You looked into having this place repaired? How come?" Having been curious about the property since purchasing it, Emma began to have an idea of the true origins of the house, given Regina's mention of looking to repair it.

When several tense moments pass and Regina has not yet answered, it is Belle that speaks what is on all of their minds. "The curse, as much as it was written by Rumple, was largely influenced by what you wanted for your happy ending. This is the home you always wanted for yourself, isn't it?"

"Yes. This is the home that I dreamt of as a child, more or less. Obviously the curse updated that dream, but it's basically the same. A place for horses, one for each member of my family, a library, a family room, sitting rooms, a kitchen that I could create any type of dish I could imagine in, places to store all of the foods we would grow, 6 bedrooms for the children, and a master suite that overlooked the forest. There was more, but I have tried so long to forget it all that it seems that some of it has finally slipped away." Arms tightly wrapped around her middle, Regina did not seem to notice the tears that had begun to spill down her cheeks. "This was meant to be my haven away from the world, and the curse saw fit to leave it rotting beyond repair."

As the first sob broke free, Regina felt strong arms wrap around her, holding her close. Shortly after another pair joined, and then another. They all held tight, but not restricting, as she continued to sob over the heart break of losing her dreams.

Knowing that there was nothing more they could do to help, they continued to hold Regina, letting her finally mourn for everything that she had lost. All her life she had hidden her feelings, never feeling safe enough to let her walls come down. But wrapped in the arms of these women, she is finally allowing herself to truly mourn.

Speaking softly into her ear, Emma felt more than saw the struggle that was consuming the brunette to stop her tears. "It's not beyond repair, and this can still be your haven. You are always welcome here, no matter what. I've told you before, you are family, and that is never going to change. I won't change a thing if you don't want me to. As much as this house would mean to me, I can always find another, and we can keep this one just the way it is."

Sniffling, Regina looks up at the women holding her, supporting her, and she knows that she wants them to have this place. "No. This is going to be a home, and we are going to make it such. But I expect you all to contribute to this. It has to be for all of you."

"Are you are sure?" Belle knew just how something like this must have meant to Regina, and for her to offer up her dream for their home was a monumental gesture. "We can always find another place to make our home, without taking what you created."

"I am sure. Emma has already done more to bring this dream back to life, and I want to see it finished. Please."

Pulling her magic to the surface, Emma first focused on repairing any damage that remained anywhere on the property. As her magic began to sweep over the house, Emma noticed that she could also feel the energy of the women around her, pulsing in time with her magic. "This will be a place we can all call home, no matter what. Think of what that means to you, and I will do my best to make it happen."

Slowly a white vapour began to form around them, blocking everything from their view. It was warm and soft, comforting the women as it covered their sight.

Regina, having heard the promise from Emma, focussed on how she wanted the women to have a home they could be happy in, that would have places to make memories, and a kitchen that would rival her own. She could see in her mind the kitchen, the counters, every detail of everything she had ever wanted or desired, all for them. She could see herself helping Ruby, and them creating feasts there for their family and friends. She could see curling up with Henry to watch movies, and Ruby and Emma fighting over the controller for the next turn in whatever video game they were all playing. She thought of glasses of wine and long nights of talking. Unbidden, thoughts of tangled limbs and a large bed crept in, but were immediately pushed back. _"Just focus on the home. You just left Robin, and you know you need time still."_ But the thoughts continued to circle, mixed with thoughts of everyday life that she knew she desperately wanted.

Belle thought of curling up with a book, or walking Henry through a selection of her favourite books in the library. She thought of curling up in front of a fire with her mates, or of playing music for them all. She thought of cold nights in a soft, warm bed, listening to the thudding heart beats of her mates. She thought of everything she had ever hoped to have in a family, and their happiness. As the warmth enveloped her, she thought of children running wild though the grass, and their bright smiles at seeing their parents watching them._ 'Beautiful. So beautiful.'_

Taking a deep breath, Ruby felt the warm comfort of Emma's magic build in her system, much like it had the other night. Images of their time in the forest swirled behind her eyes, making arousal pool low in her belly. _'Home. Think of our home.'_ Images of comparing notes and trying new recipes with Regina, of cooking feasts for her family, of watching movies curled up together as a group cuddling, of sitting in Emma's lap and knocking the controller from Henry's hands to win the final lap of the race, all began to flit through her mind.

Emma could feel the emotions pouring from the women, the desire for family and home. Her own desires rose to the surface, amplifying her magic that much more. She could see coming home to the smell of amazing food in the kitchen, her family sitting down to a meal together. Belle showing her the latest novel she was reading, debating it against her own favourite authors. Of battling Ruby for the high scores, and chasing her around the house for distracting her during a game. Of bantering with Regina, seeing her tuck Henry in at night, and of lazy mornings just basking in the feeling of **home**.

With a final surge of magic, the magic reached a crescendo, a brilliant flash of white light, dimming slowly back out of sight. All four of the women slowly open their eyes, looking around the entryway they were stood in. "Woah."


End file.
